tire pressure AUDI A3 2015 Owners Manual

Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 1
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Proper occupant seating posit ions . . . 122
Driver and passenger side footwell . . . 126
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Stowing luggage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
R eport ing Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Safety belts ... .. ...... .. .. .. . .
General notes ............... .. .. .
Why safety bel ts? ........ .... .. . .
Safety belts ............. .. .. .. . . 131
13
1
13 2
134
Safety belt p re tens ioners . . . . . . . . . . 13 7
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
I mpor tan t th ings to know . . . . . . . . . . 1 40
Fr ont airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 4
M onitoring the Advanced Airbag
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Side curta in a irbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Ch ild Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Important things to know . . . . . . . . . . 166
C hi ld safety seats ............ .... . 172
Install ing a chi ld safety seat . . . . . . . . 177
L A TC H L ower ancho rages and tethe rs
fo r ch ild ren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
A ddit io nal Informa tion 184
Driver messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Smart Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
N ot ice about da ta recorded by vehi cle
control mod ules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Electron ic stabilization control (ESC) 185
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Electromechanical steering . . . . . . . . . 189
All whee l drive (quatt ro) . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Energy management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving and the environment 193
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and
afterwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
D riving through water on roads . . . . . 194
Cata lytic conve rter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Table of contents 3
P lac ing you r vehicle out of service. . . . 195
Operate yo ur vehicle economically an d
min imize poll ution. .. .. ... .... ... . 195
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Trai ler tow ing tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Operating instructions ..... .. .
Caring and cleaning .......... .
General information ........... .. .
Car was hes .. .. .. ............... .
Cleaning and care information 201
201
201
201
202
Checking and Filling
. . . . . . . . . . 206
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
E ngine o il . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
c oolant system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Br ake fluid . ... .. .. .. .. .. .... ... . 219
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Windshie ld washer fluid container . . . 224
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Tire pressure monitoring system 243
Do-it-yourself service . . . . . . . . . 246
What do I do now? . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Luggage compartment lid emergency
release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Equ ipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Spare ti re .... ... .. ..... ......... 247
Chang ing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
El ectr ica l fus es . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
B ulbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Emergency situations . . . . . . . . . 259
Genera l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Star ting by p ushing o r towing . . . . . . . 259
Star ting with jumpe r cables . . . . . . . . 259
U se o f jumpe r cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
•
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16 Instruments and indicator lights
USA models: Speed warning
system
c::> page 79
Canada models: Speed warning
system
c::> page 79
Adaptive cruise control*./
c::> page 84
Yellow indicator lights
,.a~ t I " .,
-------------
Central indicator light (pay at-
tent ion to the add itiona l infor­
mation in the instrument cluster
display) ©
c::> page 14, fig . 9
Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ./
c::>page 22
Electronic Stabilization Control
(ESC) ./
c::> page 22
Electronic S tab ilizat ion Control
(ESC)
c::> page 185
USA models:
Anti- lock braking system (ABS)
faulty./
c::> page 22
Canada models:
Anti- lock braking system (ABS)
faulty./
c::> page 22
USA models: Safety systems ./
c::> page 21
Canada models: Safety systems
./
c::> page 21
Brake pads
c::> page 22
Electromechanical parking brake
c::> page 19
or
.. ~
~
(J)
TPMS
;
or
or
or Hill
hold*
c::>page23
Tire pressure monitoring system
./
c::>page243
Tire pressure monito ring system
c::> page243
Adapt ive dampers*
c::>page25
Engine control (gasoli ne engine)
./
c::>page23
Exha ust control system./
c::>page23
Engine speed limitation
c::>page23
Engine oil level (min .)
c::> page23

-Always store objects in the luggage com­
partment and use suitable straps, partic­
ularly with heavy objects.
- When you transport heavy objects, al­
ways remember that a change in the cen­
ter of gravity may result in a change in
the vehicle's handling characteristics .
- Follow all warnings
q page 121, Driving
safety.
(D Tips
The tire pressure must be adjusted to the
load -see the tire pressure sticker located
on the driver's side B-pillar.
General information
_& WARNING
Refer to the chapter Driving Safely
qpage 121, Driving safety for important
information, tips, s uggestions and warn­
ings that you should read and fo llow for
your own safety and the safety of your pas­ sengers.
Increasing the size of the luggage
compartment
The rear seat backrests can be folded forward
either separately or together .
Fig. 55 Backrest: release lever (left sid e, e)(ample)
Folding the backrest forward
.,. Push the corresponding head restraint
downward
¢ page 55 .
.,. Press the release lever @in the d irection of
the arrow .
.,. Fold the backrest forward.
Seats and storage 61
Folding the backrest back into the upright
position
.,. Fold the backrest down until it latches se­
curely
q _&. . When you can no longer see
the red mark on the pin @, the seat is latch­
ed.
A WARNING
-- The backrest must be securely latched
for the safety belt in the center seat to
function correctly. -
-The backrest must be securely latched so
objects cannot slide forward out of the
luggage compartment during sudden
braking .
- Always check whether the latch is fully
engaged by pulling the seatback for­
ward .
- Never allow safety belts to become dam­
aged by being caught in door or seat
hardware .
- Torn or frayed safety belts can tear and
damaged be lt hardware can break in a
crash. Inspect the belts periodically.
Belts showing damage to webbing, bind­
ings, buck les, or retractors must be re­
placed.
(D Note
- If you move the front seat back when the
rear seat backrest is folded forward, you
cou ld damage the head restraints on the
rear seat. If necessary, remove the rear
seat head restraint before moving the
front seat back
- Make sure the safety belt is not pinched
in the backrest lock and damaged when
the rear seat backrest if folded back.
Other objects should be removed from
the rear bench seat to protect the back­
rest from damage.

122 Driving safety
• Make sure that the tire pressure is correct.
• Make sure that all windows are clean and af­
ford good visib ility to the outside .
• Secure a ll luggage and other items carefully
r:=:> page 60, r:=:> page 58.
• Make sure that noth ing can interfere wit h
the pedals.
• Adjust front seat , head restraint and mirrors
correctly for your he ight.
• Instruct passengers to adjust the head re­
stra ints according to their height.
• Make sure to use the right child restraint
correct ly to protect children
r:::;, page 166,
Child Safety .
• Sit properly in your seat and make sure that
your passengers do the same
r=:> page 53,
Front seats.
• Fasten your safety belt a nd wear it properly .
Also instruct your passengers to fasten th eir
safety belts properly
r:::;.page 131 .
What impairs driving safety?
Safe driving is directly related to the condi­
tion of the vehicle, the driver as well as the
driver 's ability to concentrate on the rood
without being distracted.
The driver is respons ible for the safety of the
vehicle and all of its occupants.
If your ability
to drive is impa ired, safety r isks for everybody
in the vehicle increase and yo u also become a
hazard to everyone else on the road
r:::;, &,.
Therefore:
• Do not let yourself be dis tracted by passe n­
gers or by using a cellular telephone.
• NEVER drive when your driving ability is im­
paired (by medications, alcohol, drugs, etc.).
• Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road
and speed limits and plain common sense.
• ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic
and weather condit ions .
• Take frequent breaks on long trips . Do not
dr ive for more than two hours at a stretc h.
• Do NOT drive when you are t ired, under
pressure or when you are st ressed.
A WARNING
-Impaired dr iving safety increases the risk
of ser ious personal injury and death when­
ever a vehicle is being used.
Proper occupant
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is impor­
tant for safe, relaxed driving.
Fig . 109 Correct seat ing posit ion
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom­
mend that you adjust the driver's seat to the
following position:
.,. Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easi­
ly push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent
r:::;,A .
.,. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is
in an upright position so that your back
comes in full contact with it when you drive.
• Adj ust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm) be­
tween the steering wheel and your breast
bone
c:::> fig. 109 . If not possible, see your au­
thorized Audi dealersh ip about adaptive
equ ipment .
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steer­
ing wheel and airbag cover points at your
chest and not at your face.
• Grasp the top of the steering whee l with
your elbow(s) slightly bent .
• For adjustable head restraints: Adjust the
head restraint so the upper edge is as even
as possible with the top of your head. If that..,_

128 Driving safety
-Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rat­
ing or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
specified on the safety compliance stick­
er on the left door jamb. Exceeding per­
missible weight standards can cause the
vehicle to slide and handle differently .
- Please observe information on safe driv­
ing
~ page 121.
A WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas
from being drawn into the vehicle, always
keep the rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than
those fitting completely into the luggage
area because the rear lid cannot be fully
closed.
- If you absolutely must drive with the rear
lid open, observe the following notes to
reduce the risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the power roof",
- Open all air outlets in the instrument
panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest
speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows, the power roof* and the rear 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 luggage compartment
lid left open. A child could crawl into the
vehicle through the luggage compart­
ment 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
-Air circulation helps to reduce window
fogging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel. Be sure
to keep these slots free and open.
- The tire pressure must correspond to the load. The tire pressure is shown on the
tire pressure label. The tire pressure la­
bel is located on the driver's side B-pillar.
The tire pressure label lists the recom­
mended 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 manufactured.
For recommended tire pressures for nor­
mal load conditions, please see chapter
~ page 229.
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 12 7, Loading th e luggage com­
par tment.
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 .S 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 ..,_

Make sure that the cooling system has enough
f luid .
Tire pressure
When tow ing a trai ler, inflate the t ires of your
veh icle to the cold tire pressure listed under
"Full load" on the label located on the driver's
side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) .
Inflate trailer tires to trai ler and tire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both veh icle and trailer
lights are working properly.
Safety chains Be sure tra iler safety cha ins are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle. Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
chains, make sure they wi ll not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
sepa ration from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
care and consideration.
To obta in the best poss ible handling of vehicle
and trai le r, p lease note the following:
.. Do not tow a loaded tra iler when your car it ­
self is not loaded .
.. Be especially carefu l when passing other
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limits.
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed .
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Tow ing a loaded trailer with an empty ca r re­
sults in a high ly unstable distribution of
weight . If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
Trailer towing 199
low speeds on ly to avoid the risk of losing
steering contro l.
A "balanced " rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should
be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the c ircumstances. Whenever poss i­
ble, transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficu lt it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Re­
duce your speed even more if load, weather or
wind conditions are unfavorable -particularly
when going downhill .
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trail­
er shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not
try to stop the swaying by accelerating .
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds
for vehicles towing tra ilers are lower than for
regular veh icles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving
downhill, shift into a lower gear to use the en­ gine braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of
the brakes alone ca n cause them to overheat
and fail.
Coolant tempe rature
The coo lant temperature gauge¢
page 12
must be observed carefully. The coolant tem­
perature can increase if you drive on long in­
cli nes in a low gear at high engine speeds . Re ­
duce your speed immediately if the LEDs in
the top part of the display turn on.
For more information about ind icator lights,
refer to. ¢
page 20 .
A WARNING
Anyone not properly restrained in a mov­
ing vehicle is at a much greate r risk in an
accident. Never let anyone ride in yo ur car
-
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•
•

Caring and cleaning
General information
Regular, proper care helps to maintain your
vehicle's val ue . It can also be a requirement
when submitting warranty claims for corro­
sion damage and paint defects on the body.
The necessary care products can be obtained
from your a uthorized Audi dea ler . Read and
follow the instructions for use on the packag­
i ng.
A WARNING
- Us ing clean ing and care products incor­
rectly can be dangerous to your hea lth .
- Always store cleaning and care products
out of reach of children to reduce the r isk
of po isoning.
-
@ For the sake of the environment
- Preferably use environmentally-friendly
products when buying cleaning agents.
- Do not d ispose of leftover cleaning and
care products with household trash.
Car washes
T he longer that deposits such as insects, bird
droppings, tree sap or road sa lt rema in on the
veh icle, the more the surface can be dam­
aged . High tempe ratures such as those
caused by sunlight increase the cor rosive ef­
fect .
Before washing, rinse off heavy depos its with
p lenty of water .
Also, was h the underside of your ve hicle once
road salt stops be ing used for the season.
P ressure wash ers
When washing your veh icles w ith a pressure
washer, always fo llow the operating instruc­
tions provided with the pressure washe r. T his
is especially important in regard to the pres ­
sure and spraying d istance. Do not aim the
spray directly at seals on side w indows, doors,
the hood, the rear lid or the sunroof* or at
Caring and cle anin g 201
tires, rubber hoses, insulating material, sen ­
sors * or camera lenses* . Keep a distance of at
l east 16 inches (40 cm).
Do not remove snow and ice with a p ressure
washe r.
Neve r use rotary nozzles or high pressure noz­
z les.
T he wate r temperature must not be above
140
°F (60 °() .
Automatic car washes
Spray off the ve hicle before washing.
Make sure that the windows and roof * are
c losed and the winds hield wipers are off . Fol­
l ow instructions from the car wash operator,
especially if there are accessories attached to
your vehicle.
If possible, use car washes that do not have
brushes .
Washing by hand
Clean the ve hicle starting from the top and
working down using a soft sponge or cleaning
brush . Use solvent -free clean ing products.
Washing vehicles with matte finish paint
by hand
T o avoid damaging the paint when washing,
f irst remove dust and large particles from
your vehicle . Insects, grease spots and finger­
prints are best removed with a spec ial cleaner
for matte finish paint .
Apply t he p rod uct using a microfiber cloth . To
avo id damaging the paint surface, do not use
too much pressure .
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water . Then
clean using a neutra l shampoo and a soft mi ­
crofiber cloth .
Rinse the ve hicle thoroughly again and le t it
air dry . Remove any water residue using a
shammy.
Stubborn deposits such as bi rd d roppings o r
t ree sap are best removed w it h ple nty o f w a-
ter and a microfiber cloth . .,..
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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
veh icle, particularly considering the compara­
tively small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that a ll- important 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 safely han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
r eg ularly inspect ing t ires for damage includ­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and overall
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 If you have to d rive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very slow ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemicals includ ing grease, o il ,
gasoline and brake fluid off the t ires .
I nspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedde d in the treads.
Storing tires Mark t ires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . T his ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
i nstall them .
When removed, the whee ls or t ires should be
sto red 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 ition if
they are mounted on rims .
Tires an d wheel s 225
New tires
New ti res h ave to be broken in¢& .
The 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.
H idden damage
Damage to tires and rims is ofte n not readily
visible . If you notice unusual v ib rat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
that one of the t ires has been damaged . T he
ti res m ust be chec ked immed iate ly by an au­
thorized Audi dea le r or q ua lified wor kshop .
Unidirectional tires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sidewa ll, that po int in the direc­
tion the t ire is designed to rotate. You mus t
f ol low the specified di rection o f rotation . T his
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information
¢page 253.
A WARNING
New tires or t ires that are old, worn or
damaged cannot provide maximum con­
trol and braking ability .
-
-New tires tend to be slippery and must
also be b roken-in. To reduce the risk of
losing control , a collision and serious
pe rsonal injuries, drive w it h special care
for the first 350 miles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
lead to loss of control, sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowout and sudden de­
fl ation, cras hes and se riou s personal in­
juries . Have wo rn or damaged t ires re­
placed immediate ly.
- Ti res age even if they are not being used
and can fai l sudden ly, especially at hig h
spee ds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith special care and at low
speed.
•
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•

226 Tire s and wheel s
-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 t ire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when driving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
(D Note
- Please note that summer and winter
tires are designed for the cond itions that
a re typ ica l in those seasons. Aud i recom­
mends using w inter t ires d uring the win-
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means t he comb ined we ight (in excess of
those standard items which may be rep laced)
of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
A spect ratio
means th e ratio of the height to the width of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in­
d icate a low sidewall for improved steer ing re­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement .
Bead
means the part of the tire th at is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead s eparation
means a breakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means t he strands forming the plies in the
tire. ter months.
Low tempe ratu res signifi­
cantly decrease the elasticity of summer
tires, which affects traction and braking ability. If summer tires are used in very
co ld temperatures, cracks can form on
the tread bars, resu lting in permanent
tire damage that can cause loud driving
noise and unbalanced tires. Aud i is not
responsib le for this type of damage.
- Burn ished, polished or chromed rims
must not be used in winter weather. The
surfa ce of the rims does not have suff i­
c ien t cor rosion prote ct io n for this and
co uld be pe rmanen tly damaged by road
salt or simi lar substances. This damage
is not cove red by war ranty.
Cold tire inflat ion pre ssure
mea ns the t ire press ure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a tire o f a des ignated
size that has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le of miles (ki lometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire press ure
is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor vehicle w ith
standard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, o il, and coolant, air condi­
tion ing and additional weight of optional
equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" on the sidewall.
Gross A xle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in-
terfaces.
IJ>,

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the maximum total loaded weight of
the vehicle .
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ri bs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a given inflat ion pressure . You
may not find this information on all tires be­
cause it is not requ ired by law .
Ma ximum load rating
means the load rating for a t ire at the max i­
mum permissible inflation pressure for that
tire .
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capac ity weight, and
(d) Production opt ions weight
Ma ximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum co ld inf lation pressure
to which a tire may be inflated . Also called
"maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 k ilograms) times the
number of occupants seated in the vehicle up
to the tota l seating capacity of yo ur vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants in a veh icle.
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new
tire .
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteri­
ors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire, includ­
ing e levations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs .
Tires and wheels 22 7
Ply
means a layer of rubbe r-coated parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed
regular production opt ions we ighing over 5
lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standa rd items
which they replace, not previously considered
in curb weight or accessory weight, including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan­
tially 90 degrees to the centerl ine of the
tread.
Recommended inflation pressure
see ~ page 226, Cold tire inflation pressure .
Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire . Reinforced tires
may be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD",
or "RF" on the sidewal l.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated .
Rim diamete r
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If
you change your wheel s ize, you wi ll have to
purchase new tires to match the new r im di­
ameter.
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the
tread and bead .
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