tire pressure AUDI A3 2012 Owner´s Manual

Install ing a chi ld safety seat . ... .. . .
L A T CH Lower anchorages and tethers
for chi ldren ..... ........ ... .. .. . .
Addit ional Information
Vehi cle operat ion ..... .. .. .. . .
Intelligent technology .. .. .. . .
Not ice about data recorded by vehicle
control modules . ...... ... .. .. .. . .
Elect ronic Stabilization P rogram (ESP)
Braking ...... .............. ... . .
E lect ro-mechanical power assist . .. . .
D riving w ith your quattro ® ... .. .. . .
E ne rgy management ...... .. .. .. . .
Driving and environment ... ..
The first 1,000 m iles (1 ,500 km) and
afterwards ..... ...... ... .. .. .. . .
Cata lytic converter ..... ... .. .. .. . .
Diese l particu late fi lter . ... .. .. .. . .
Avoid damaging the vehicle . .. .. .. . .
Operate your vehicle econom ically and
minim ize po llution . ....... .. .. .. . .
Trailer towing ............. .. . .
Driving w ith a trailer ...... .. .. .. . .
Trailer towing tips
Vehi cle care ........... .... .. . .
Cleaning and protection .. . .. .
Ge ne ral i nformation .......... ... .
Care of exte rior . .......... ... ... .
Ca re of inter io r ........... .. .. .. . .
Fuel supply and filling your
152
155
160
16 1
161
161
161
163
165
166
16 7
169
169
170 171
171
171
174
174
176
178
178
178
178
183
fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
D iese l fue l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Fu el tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Checking and filling . . . . . . . . . . . 194
E ng ine hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Engine oi l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Eng ine cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Brake fl uid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Table of contents 3
Battery ... .. .... ... .. .. ..... ... .
Windshie ld washer container
Tires and wheels .... .... ... .. .
Tires ... .. .. .... ... .. .. ..... ... .
Tire pressure monitoring system 207
211
212
212
230
Do-it-yourself service
. . . . . . . . . 234
What do I do now? . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Jack, tools and spare wheel . . . . . . . . . 234
Compact spare wheel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Wheel change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
E lectr ica l fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Bu lbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Emergency situations . . . . . . . . . 248
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Starting by pushing or towing . . . . . . . 248
Starting with jumpe r cables . . . . . . . . 248
Genera l information of starti ng
ass istance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
U se of j umpe r cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Emergency towing wit h commercia l
tow tr uck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Lifting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
General information . . . . . . . . . . 255
Explanation of technica l data . . . . . . . 255
Vehicle iden tification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
D.
. 1mens 1ons .. .. .. .. . .. ... ... .. .. . 256
Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
200 hp, 2 .0 liter 4 -cyl. turbo gaso line
engi ne ....... ... .. .............. 257
140 hp, 2.0 TOI lite r 4-cyl. turbo cl ean
diesel engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Consumer Information . . . . . . . 259
Wa rranty cove rages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Operating your ve hicle outs ide the
U .S .A . or Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Audi Se rvice Repair Manuals and
Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
•
•

14 Instrum ent s and w arn ing /indic ato r light s
Engine coolant level too low
ii
Engine oil sensor malfunction
engine coolant temperature too
¢page20
high ¢page 17
•
Battery voltage too h igh or too low
Electro-mechanical power assist
¢page20
¢page 17
II
Low fuel level
Clutch is overheating
¢page 21
¢page 101
•
Windshield washe r fl uid level low
Y ellow indicator lights ¢page 21
D
Yellow symbols indicate a priority 2 ma lf u nc-
~:~
Defective light bulb
tion -Warning!
¢page 21
Ji]
Electronic Stab ilizat ion Program
•
U SA mod els : Defective brake light
(ESP)
./¢page 18
¢page 21
I
Electronic Stabilization Program
•
Canada model s: Defective brake
(ESP)./
<=:>page 18 light ¢ page 21
~ USA mod els : anti-lock brake system
II
Dynamic headlight range cont ro l*
(ABS) ./ defective
<=:> page 18 defective ¢ page 21
Canada models: anti-lock brake sys--
[I]
•
Adaptive Light * defective
tern ./ (ABS) defective
¢page 18
¢page 21
•
Worn brake pads
m
Light/rain sensor defective (automat-
¢ page 19 ic headlights) * defective ¢ page 22
g
Tire pressure too low
B
Audi magnetic ride
¢page 19
¢page22
ll@I@ Tire pressure monitoring system
~
USA models: Speed warning 1
¢page 231
¢page 31
[m
Electronic power control./
¢page 19
•
Canada models : Speed warning 1
¢page 31
•
USA models: Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (MIL)
¢page 19
•
USA models: Speed warn ing 2
¢page31
Canada models: Malfunction Indica-
tor Lamp (MIL)
¢page 19
•
Canada models: Speed warning 2
¢page 31
II
Glow plug system ./ (diesel engine
Electro-mechanical power assist
only) (alternative to~ )
M ¢page 17
¢page20
.,
Engine speed limitation *
Diesel particulate filter
¢page20
¢page22
Ill
Check engine oil level
¢page20

Instrument s and warnin g/indic ator ligh ts 19
system is not working properly. The vehi­
cle can then be stopped only with the
standard brakes (without ABS). You will not have the protection ABS provides .
Contact your Audi dealer as soon as pos­
sible.
- USA models: If the - warning light,
the
G! warning light and the m warn­
ing light come on together, the rear
wheels co uld lock up first unde r hard
braking. Rear wheel lock-up can cause
loss of vehicle contro l and an accident.
Have your vehicle repaired immediately
by your autho rized Audi dea ler or a quali­
fied workshop. Drive slowly and avoid
sudden, hard brake applications.
- Canada models:
If the brake warn ing
light •• the
DJ warning light and the
ABS warning light
II] come on together,
the rear wheels could lock up first under
hard braking . Rear wheel lock-up can
cause loss of vehicle control and an acci­
dent. Have you r vehicle repaired immed i­
a tely by your authori zed A udi dealer or a
qualified workshop . Dr ive slowly and
avoid sudden, hard brake applicat ions.
{0) Worn brake pads
Ei] Che ck b rake pads!
If t h e war ning light illum inates, immediately
con tact your au thori zed A udi dealer o r quali­
fied workshop to have all brake pads inspect­
ed . On USA models the warning light
Ei]
comes on together with the warning light
- · Both sets of brake pads on an axle
must always be replaced at the same time.
A WARNING
Dr iv ing with bad brakes can cause a colli­
sion and serious personal injury .
- If the warning light
Ei] and the warning
light -
1l with the message Brake
pads!
comes on in the instrument cluster
display, immediately contact your au-
1 ) - : USA mod els only
thorized A udi dealer or qualified work­
shop to have all brake pads checked or
replaced if necessary.
(D Tire pressure monitoring system -
telltale indicator lamp
The warning/indicator light appears in the
event of a significant loss of air pressure.
The tl]warning/indicator light illuminates for
a few seconds after the ignition is turned on
as function check and then goes out .
If the
ti] symbol appears, pressure is too low
in at least one tire.
When the system detects a mal function, the
warning/indicator light will f las h for approxi­
mately one minute and then remain continu­
o us ly ill uminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle starts up as long as
the malfunction exists . Contact your author­
ized Audi dealer and have the ma lfunct ion
corrected .
For more information
q page 230.
EPC Electronic power control
This warning/indicator light monitors the
electronic power control.
The ~ warning/indicator light (E lectronic
Power Contro l) illuminates when you switch
on the ignition as a function check.
(D Tips
If this warning/indicator light illuminates
while yo u are driving, then there is a mal­
funct ion in the engine e lectronics. Have
the malfunct ion corrected as soon as pos­
sible by your authorized Audi dealer or
qualified workshop .
~ Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The Ma lfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is pa rt
of the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) system.
Ill>

Driving Safely
General notes
Safe driving habits
Please remember -safety first!
This chapter contains important information,
tips, instructions and warnings that you need
to read and observe for your own safety, the
safety of your passengers and others . We have
summarized here what you need to know
about safety belts, airbags, ch ild restra ints as
well as child safety. You r safety is for us
priori­
ty number 1.
Always observe t he information
a nd warn ings in th is se ct ion - for yo ur own
safety as well as that of your passengers .
The information in this se ction applies to all
model ve rsion s of your veh icle . Some of the
feat ures descr ibed in th is sec tions may be
standa rd equipment on some models, or may
be optional equipment on others . If you are
not sure, ask yo ur authorized Aud i dea ler.
A WARNING
- Always make sure that you follow the in­
st ruct ions and heed the WARNINGS i n
this Manual. It is in your interest and in
the inte rest of you r passengers.
- Always keep the complete Owne r's Liter­
at ure in your Audi when you lend or sell
yo ur vehicle so that this important info r­
mation will always be ava ilable to the
dr iver and passenge rs.
- Always keep the Owner's literature handy
so that you can find i t eas ily if you have
ques tion s.
Safety equipment
The safety features are part of the occupant
restraint syst em and work togeth er to help
redu ce the risk of injury in a wide variety of
accident situations .
Your safety and the safety of your passenge rs
should not be left to chance. Advances in
t echnology have made a var iety o f fea tures
avai lable to he lp red uce the risk of i njury in an
Dr iving Safel y 103
accident . The following is a list of just a few of
the safety features in yo ur Audi :
- sophis tic ated s afety be lts fo r driver and a ll
passenger sea ting posit ions,
- s afety bel t prete nsio ners ,
- safety belt force lim ite rs fo r the front sea ts,
- safety belt he ight adjustment systems for
the front seats ,
- automatic safety be lt height adjustment for
the rear seats,
- head restra ints for each seating posit ion,
- front airbags,
- side airbags in the front seats and outer rea r
seats *,
- side c urtai n airbags ,
- specia l LATCH an cho rages for child re-
s tr ain ts,
- he ad restra ints for each sea ting posit ion,
- adj ustab le steering colum n.
These ind iv idual safety features , can work to­
gether as a system to he lp protect you and
you r passengers in a w ide range of accide nts.
T hese fe;;itures c;;innot work ;;is ;;i system if
t h ey a re not always cor re ct ly adjus ted and co r­
re ct ly used .
Safety is everybody' s responsibility!
Important things to do before driving
Safety is everybody 's job! Vehicle and occu ­
pant safety always depends on the informed
and careful driver .
For you r safety and the safety of your passen­
gers,
before driving always:
.,. Make s ure that all lights and signals are op­
erating correctly .
.,. Make sure that the tire pressure is correct .
.,. Make su re that all windows are clean and
afford good v isib ility to the o utside.
.,. Sec ure a ll luggage a nd other items carefu lly
~ page 75.
.,. Mak e s ure th at nothing can interfe re wi th
t he peda ls .
.,. Adjust front seat, head restraint and mir ­
rors co rrectly for your height.
•
•

110 Driving Safely
&_ WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­dows, the power roof* and the read lid are
securely closed and locked to reduce the
risk of injury when the vehicle is not being
used.
-After closing the rear lid, always make
sure that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended es­
pecially with the rear lid left open. A
child could crawl into the vehicle through
the luggage compartment and close the
rear lid becoming trapped and unable to
get out. Being trapped in a vehicle can
lead to serious personal injury.
- Never let children play in or around the
vehicle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must
always be properly restrained in one of
the vehicle's seating positions.
(D Tips
- The tire pressure must correspond to the
load -see the tire pressure sticker on the
fuel filler door.
- The tire pressure must correspond to the
load. The tire pressure is shown on the
tire pressure label. On USA vehicles, the
tire pressure label is located on the driv­
er's side B-pillar. On Canada vehicles, the
tire pressure label is located either on
the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel
filler flap. The tire pressure label lists
the recommended cold tire inflation pressures for the vehicle at its maximum
capacity weight and the tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manu­
factured. For recommended tire pres­
sures for normal load conditions, please
see chapter ¢
page 216.
-
Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with
four tie-downs to secure luggage and other
items.
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo prop­
erly
¢ page 109, Loading the luggage com ­
partment .
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi­
cle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle possess en­
ergy which vary with vehicle speed and the
weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the most
significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10-lb (4.5 kg) object are about 20 times the
normal weight of the item . This means that
the weight of the item would suddenly be
about 200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the
injuries that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying
freely through the passenger compartment
could cause in a collision like this.
&_ WARNING ~
Weak, damaged or improper straps used
to secure items to tie-downs can fail dur­
ing hard braking or in a collision and cause
serious personal injury.
-Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help pre­
vent items from shifting or flying for­ ward as dangerous missiles.
- When the rear seat backrest is folded
down, always use suitable mounting
straps and properly secure items to the
tie-downs in the luggage compartment
to help prevent items from flying for­
ward as dangerous missiles into the pas­
senger compartment .
- Never attach a child safety seat tether
strap to a tie-down.

174 Trailer towing
Trailer towing Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passen­
ger transportation .
If you plan to tow a tra iler, p lease remember
that the addit ional load will affect durability,
economy and performance.
T railer towing not on ly places more stress on
the vehicle, it also calls for more concentra­
tion from the driver.
F or this reasons, always follow the operating
and drivi ng in str uctions provided and use
common sense.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suita­
b le for your veh icle and trailer and must be
mounted securely on the ve hicle's chassis at a
technically sound location. Use only a trailer
h itch with removable ba ll mount. Always
check with the tr ailer hitch manufac turer to
make sure tha t you are using t he cor rect
hitch.
Do not us e a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that
it does not interfere with the impact-absorb­
ing bumper syst em. No modifications should
be made to the vehi cle exhaust and brake sys ­
tems. From time to time, check th at a ll hitch
mo unt ing bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer, remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount. This prevents the
h itch from causing damage sho uld your ve hi­
cle be str uck from behind
¢ A .
Tire pressure
When tow ing a traile r, inflate the t ires of your
ve hicle to the co ld tire pressure listed under
"Full load"on the stick er on the rig ht doo r- jamb. Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire
manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
T he headlight set tings sho uld be checked with
t h e trai le r attached before d riving o ff. Have
the headlights adjusted as necessary so tha t
yo u can see t he road ahead b ut not blind on­
coming traffic.
Check to make sure bo th ve hicle and tr ailer
lights are wo rk ing properly .
Engine cooling system
T owing a t railer makes the engine work hard­
er.
It i s impo rtant that the cooling system's
performance stands up to the additional
stra in. Make sure tha t the cooling sys tem has
enough fluid.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing sys­
tem, c heck to be sure t hat it conforms to all
regula tions.
The trailer hyd raulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
Safety ch ains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the cha ins to per­
mit turning co rne rs. When yo u in stall safety
c h ains, ma ke sure they will not drag on the
r oad when you a re driving.
The chains should cross under the t railer
tong ue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the h itch.
Trailer lights
Trai ler lights must meet all regulations. Be
sure to check w ith your authorized Audi dealer
for correct w ir in g, sw itches and re lays .
Mir rors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you
us ing the regular outside mirrors, then you

must install extended mirrors. I t is important
that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
A WARNING -
After removing the tra ile r hitch, do not
store it in your vehicle. In case of s udden
braking , the hitch could fly forward and in­
jure you or your passengers .
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your ve hicle is limited to a typica l
class 1 o r class 2 trailer.
Trailer l oad di stribut ion
Be s ure the load in the trai ler is he ld sec urely
in place to guard aga inst shift ing, be it for­
ward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
~ &. in Driving instructions on page 176 .
Tire pressure
When tow ing a tra ile r, i nflate the ti res of yo ur
ve hicl e to the co ld tire pressure listed u nder
"Full load" on the sticker on the r igh t door ­
jamb . Inflate trai ler ti res to trai ler and tire
manufacturers' specifications.
Lights
The he adlig ht setti ngs should be che cked w ith
the trailer a ttached be fore dr iv ing off . Adjus t
as necessary so that you can see the road
a h ead but not blind o ncoming traff ic .
C hec k prope r wo rking of vehicle a nd t ra ile r
lights.
Safety chains
B e s ure tra ile r safe ty cha ins are p roperly con­
nected from the t railer to the hitch on the ve­
hicl e. Leave e no ugh s lack in the chains to pe r­
mi t turning corners . Whe n you ins tall safe ty
ch ains, m ake s ure they w ill not drag on the
road when yo u are driving .
The c ha ins shou ld cross un der th e tra ile r
t ongue to prevent it from droppi ng in case of
separat ion from the h itch.
Trailer towin g 175
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration .
To obtain the best possible handli ng of vehicle
and trailer, please note the fo llow ing:
... Do not tow a loaded t railer w hen you r ca r it­
self is not loaded .
... Be especially caref ul when pass ing other ve­
hicles .
... Obse rve speed lim its .
... Do not dr ive at the maximum permissib le
speed.
... Always app ly brakes e arly .
... Mon itor the tempe rature g auge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded t railer w ith an em pty car re­
su lts in a highly unstab le distrib ution of
weig ht. If th is cannot be avoided d rive at very
l ow speed s on ly t o a void t he ri sk of losi ng
stee ring cont rol.
A "ba lanced " rig is easier to operate and con­
tr ol. Th is means t hat the tow vehicle should
b e lo ade d to t he e xten t possible and per miss i­
ble while keep ing t he tr ailer a s light as possi ­
ble under the c ircu mstances . Wheneve r poss i­
ble, transfe r some ca rgo to the lugga ge com­
partment of the tow vehicle w hile obse rv in g
tong ue load requ irements and vehicle load ing
consideratio ns.
Speed
The higher the speed, the mo re di fficu lt it be ­
comes for the driver to contro l the rig . Do not
drive at the maximum permissib le speed. Re ­
duce your speed even more under unfavo rable
load, weather or wind conditions - partic ularly
whe n going downhill .
Red uce veh icle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows t he slig htest s ign of sway ing.
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits . In some a reas speeds
f or vehicles tow ing tra ile rs a re lower than for
r egular veh icles .
•
•

180 Cleaning and protection
@ For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the ve­
hicle should on ly be washed in special
wash bays.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you
observe a few simple rules .
~ Before using the power washer, make sure
you have read and understood the WARN­
INGS
c::> A in General information on
page 178 .
~ Always fo llow the operating instructions for
the power washer.
~ Make sure tha t the jet o n the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spray".
~ Do not ho ld the spray nozzle too close to
soft materia ls.
When clean ing the veh icle wit h a power wash­
er
always fo llow the operating instructions .
This applies particularly to the
oper ating
pressu re
and the sp ray ing distance . Maintain
a sufficient distance to soft materials such as
rubber hoses and sound/vibrat io n deadening
materials (part icularly on the underside of the
engine hood). Do not use a jet wh ich sprays
water in a
dire ct stream or one that has a ro ­
ta ting
jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F
(60 °().
A WARNING
Never wash tires w it h a je t that sprays wa­
t er in a direc t stream. This cou ld cause in­
visib le damage to the tires and weake n
t hem, even if the spray is from a re latively
long distance and for a short time . Dam­
aged and weakened t ires can fa il and cause
accidents and persona l injury.
([) Note
To avo id damag ing your vehicle, always
make sure t hat there is sufficient distance between the spray head and soft materia
ls
li ke rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound­
deaden ing mater ials. Never aim the spray
head at the same point for a long time.
This also applies to cleaning headlights
and painted bumpers. Remember: the
closer the nozzle is to the surface of the
mater ia l, the greater the stress on the ma­
te rial.
Waxing and Polishing
Waxing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle pain t
to a la rge ex ten t agains t the envi ronmental
f actors lis ted under
c::> page 178, Washing and
even against sli ght scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to prote ct yo ur
paint as soon as one wee k afte r you r vehicle
has been delivered .
E ven if you regu larly use a
wa xing p rocess in
a ut oma tic car washes, we recommend tha t
yo u manually apply a coat o f wax to g ive the
paint extra protection, part icu larly if water no
l onger beads on t he clean paint.
Protect plast ic body parts with car wax in the
same w ay as the veh icle body.
D ur ing warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the fo r­
wa rd area of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from p aint th at is waxed
often.
Polishing
Polish your vehicle only if the paint has lost its
sh ine and the gloss cannot be broug ht back
with wax.
If the polish used does not contain preserva­
t ive compou nds, the paint must be waxed af ­
te rwards .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNI NGS and
other info rmation
c::> page 178 .
(D Note
Do not use car wax on

212 Tire s and wheel s
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle .
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle . Tires are,
however, one of the most important parts of a
vehicle, particularly considering the compara­
tive ly small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that a ll-impo rtant contact between
you, your vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, mak ing
sure that your vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry mo re weight than they can safe ly han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
reg ularly inspecting t ires for damage includ­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and ove rall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid sudden tire failure in­
cluding tread separation and blowouts.
Avoiding damage I f you have to drive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very s low ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chem ica ls includ ing gre ase, o il,
gasoline and b rake fluid off the ti res .
Inspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . Th is ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
install t hem.
When removed, the whee ls or t ires should be
stored in a cool, d ry and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vertical pos ition if they are not
mounted on rims, in a horizontal pos it ion if
they are mounted on rims. New tire
s
New t ires have to be broken in¢&,. .
T he tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord­
ing to the type a nd make of t ire and the tread
pa tte rn .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and r ims is ofte n not readily
vis ible . If you notice unusual v ibrat ion or the
vehicle p ulls to one side, th is may ind icate
t h at one of the t ires has been damaged . Th e
t ir es m ust be checked immed iate ly by an au ­
tho rized Aud i dea le r or q uali fied wor ks hop.
Unidirectional t ires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sid ewa ll, that po int in the direc­
t ion the t ire is desig ned to rotate. You mus t
f ol low the specified d irection of rotation . This
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characterist ics regarding grip,
road no ise, wear and hyd rop laning resistance.
For more information ¢
page 241.
A WARNING
-New tires or tires that are old, worn or
damaged cannot provide maximum con­
trol and braking ability .
-
-New tires tend to be slippery and must
be broken in . To reduce the risk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in jur ies, d rive w ith special ca re fo r the
fi rst 350 m iles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
le ad to loss of control, sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowou t and sudden de­
fl ation, c rashes and seriou s personal in­
juries . Have wo rn or damaged t ires re­
p laced immediate ly .
- T ires age even if they are not being used
an d can fai l sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith specia l care and at low
speed.

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those standard items wh ich may be rep laced)
of automa tic tra nsmission, power steering,
power br akes, power w indows, power sea ts,
radio, and heater, to the ex tent that these
items are avai lab le as factory -installed equip ­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the rat io of the height to the w idt h of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
d icate a low sidewall fo r improved s teer ing re ­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means the pa rt of the t ire t hat is made o f
s teel wires, wrapped o r rein force d by ply cor ds
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Cold tire infl ation pressure
means t he tire pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a t ire of a designated
size that has not been dr iven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire pressure
i s measu red or adjusted.
Tire s an d wheel s 213
-If you notice un usua l vibration or if the
veh icle pulls to one side when driv ing, a l­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
Curb weight
mea ns the we ight of a motor ve hicle w it h
standard equipment in cl ud ing t he maximum
capa city of fuel, o il, and coolant, ai r cond i­
tion ing a nd addi tional weig ht o f optiona l
equipment .
Extra load tire
means a t ire designed to operate at higher
loads and at highe r inflat ion p ressu res tha n
th e co rresponding standard tire. Extra load
tir es my be i dent ified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
L O AD", or "R F" on t he sidewall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR ")
mea ns the load-carry ing capac ity of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in­
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded we ight of
the ve hicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs.
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load tha t a t ire is rated
to carry for a given inflation press ure. Yo u
may not find this information on all tires be­
ca use it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
me ans the load r ating for a tire at the maxi­
mum pe rm issi ble inf lat ion pressure for that
ti re . •
•
...