tires AUDI A3 2016 Owner´s Manual

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Driver messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Audi active lane assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Audi side assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Audi drive select (drive settings) . . . . . . . . 148
Parking systems
General information ............ .... .
Rear parking system .......... .. .... .
Parking system plus ...... ... .. .. .. .. . 151
151
152
152
Rearview camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Adjusting the display and the warning
tones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Intelligent Technology . . . . . . . . . . 158
Notice about data recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and vehicle control
modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Electronic stabilization control (E5C) . . . . 159
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Electromechanical steering . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
All wheel drive (quattro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Energy management 164
Safety ... . .. .. ............. .. .. .. . 166
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Correct passenger seating positions . . . . . 167
Driver's and front passenger's footwell . . 171
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Storing cargo correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 4
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Why use safety belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Important information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System . 196
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Table of contents
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Side curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Important information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Securing child seats. ............... .. 219
LATCH system (Lower anchorages and
tethers for children) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Additional information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Checking and Filling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Gasoline fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Diesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Selective catalytic reduction (AdBlue) . . . 234
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Service interval display 252
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Wheels ... .. .. .. .. ... ... .... ..... .. 253
T ire pressure monitoring system 271
Care and cleaning ......... ... .. .. 274
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 4
Cleaning and care information . . . . . . . . . 275
Placing your vehicle out of service . . . . . . 279
Do It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Emergency a ssistance . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Trunk escape latch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Tire mobility kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Replacing wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Spare tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
3

e-tron
serious damage and/or a decrease of the ca­
pacity void coverage under the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Starting/driving the vehicle
Applies to veh icles: w ith plug-in hybrid drive
The vehicle is started and stopped with the
I START S TOP I button. Also note the informa­
tion here ¢
page 82.
Establishing drive ready mode
See¢.& in Introduction on page 98.
Requ irement: a charging cable must not be con­
nected to the vehicle ¢
page 121 and the selec­
tor lever must be in the P or
N position.
- Press the brake pedal.
- Press the
I START STOPI button .
When the vehicle enters drive ready mode, the
status message
e-tron READY appears briefly in
the instrument cluster display and the needle in
the power meter points to
READY r:::;, page 101 .
Driving
The vehicle starts with the electric motor after
establishing the drive ready mode and if the con­
ditions for electric drive mode have been met
¢page 103.
The conditions to drive are essentially the same
for the automatic transmission : ¢
page 89
You and your passengers should anticipate the
possibility of a sporty acce leration.
Ending drive ready mode
- Place the selector lever in the P position.
- Switch the ignition off with the
le!> START STOPI
button.
Vehicle sound
The vehicle generates electronic vehicle sound at
speeds up to approximately 2S mph (40 km/h) so
that your vehicle can be heard from the outside
when in electric drive mode. The veh icle sound
automatically fades out at higher speeds when
the sounds from the tires and wind start increas­
ing .
100
Switching the ignition on/off
You can switch the ignit ion on without establish­
ing drive ready mode.
- Press the
I START STOP ! button to switch the
ign ition on and off. Do not press the brake ped­
al while doing this.
The needle stays pointing to
OFF@ r:::;, page 101,
fig. 88 when the ignit ion is switched on.
No indicator lights stay turned on when the igni­
tion is switched off .
Ignition is switched off automatically
To prevent the battery from draining, the ignition
will switch off automatically under the following conditions:
- The vehicle must have already been driven.
- The vehicle must be stationary.
- The gaso line engine must not be runn ing .
- The driver 's door must be open .
- The driver's safety belt must be unbuckled.
- The brake pedal must not be pressed.
In this case, the activated low beam is replaced
by the parking light. The message
Side marker
lights automatically shut off in 30 minutes. See
owner's manual
appears in the instrument clus­
ter display . The parking lights w ill switch off af­
ter approximately 30 minutes or when you lock
the vehicle.
If the gasoline engine was not stopped, the mo­
tor continues running and the ignition does not
automat ically switch off
r:::;, ,& .
A WARNING
To reduce the risk of poisoning, never allow
the engine to run in confined spaces.
(D Tips
The vehicle cannot start when outside tem­
peratures are below-18
°F (-28 °()
r:::;,page 101.
-

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N
0 > co ,...., Trailer mode Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
T railer towing not only places more stress on the
vehicle, it also calls for more concentration from
the driver.
For this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trailer and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use only a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ball mount . Always check with the trail­
er hitch manufacturer to make sure that you are
using the correct hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system . No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
From time to time, check that all hitch mounting
bo lts remain securely fastened.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ball mount . This prevents the hitch
from causing damage should your vehicle be
struck from beh ind
~ ,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be sure that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
Trailer mode
The trailer hydraulic brake system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
brake system.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
T ra iler lights must meet all regulations . Be sure
to check with your Aud i dea ler for correct wiring,
switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see the traffic behind you us­
ing the regular outside mirrors, then you
must in­
stall extended mirrors . It is important that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
,8. WARNING
After removing the trailer hitch, do not store
it in your vehicle. In case of sudden braking,
the hitch could fly forward and injure you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A trailer for your vehicle is limited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in
place to prevent it from shifting forward, back­
ward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~.&.
in Driving instructions on page 128.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load. Make sure that
the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Full ..,.
127

Trailer mod e
load" on the la bel located on the driver's side B ­
pillar (visib le when the door is open) . Inflate
tra iler tires to trailer and tire manufacturers'
specif ications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and t railer lights
are working p roper ly.
Safety chains
Be sure t railer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trai le r to the hi tch on the veh icle.
L eave enough sla ck in the cha ins to permi t turn­
ing corners. When yo u install safety chains, ma ke
sure they wi ll not drag on the road when yo u are
driving .
The cha ins s hou ld cross under the trailer tongue
t o prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the h itch .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration .
To obtain t he best poss ible handling of vehicle
and traile r, please note the fo llow ing :
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself
is not loaded.
.. Be especi ally ca ref ul when pass ing othe r
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limi ts .
.. Do not d rive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded t railer w ith an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds on ly
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easie r to operate and cont rol.
This means that the tow vehi cle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keep ing the tra iler as light as possib le under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the l uggage compartment of the
128
tow veh icle wh ile observing tong ue load require ­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the mo re diff icu lt i t be­
comes for the driver to con trol the r ig. Do not
drive at t he maxim um permissible speed. Reduce
you r speed even more if load, weather or wind
con dit ions are unfavorab le - partic ularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limi ts. In some areas, s peeds fo r
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
A lways apply bra kes early. Whe n driving down­
hill, shift in to a lower gea r to use the engine
b raki ng effect to slow the vehi cle. Use of the
brakes alone ca n cause them to over heat and fai l.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge 9 page 12 must
be obse rved caref ully. The coolant temperature
c a n incre ase if yo u drive o n long incl ines in a low
gear a t high engine speeds . Red uce your speed
immediately if the LE Ds in the top part of the dis­
play turn on .
Fo r more info rm ation abou t indicator lights, re­
fer to . ¢
page 20 .
A WARNING
-
Anyone not prope rly restrai ned in a moving
vehicle is at a much greate r risk in an acci ­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wear ing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differen tly when towing a
trailer because o f the additiona l weight and di f­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy will g reatly depend on how caref ul-
l y you load your trai ler and operate you r rig. ..,_

Ass is t
Assist
Electronic speed limiter
Applies to vehicles: with electronic speed limite r
Your vehicle may be factory equipped wi th tires
that are rated for a maximum speed of 130 mph (210 km/h). This is less than the maximum speed
of your vehicle. To reduce the risk of sudden tire
fa ilure and loss of control if the veh icle is operat­
ed at excessive speeds, your vehicle also has an
electron ic speed limiter. The electron ic speed
lim iter prevents your veh icle from going faster
than the t ire speed rating. For mo re information
~page 260.
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehicle
road speed s ignals, the Ma lfunction Ind icator
L amp (MIL)
¢;5 will illum inate. If this occurs,
con ta ct the nearest au thori zed A ud i d ealer for
assis tance.
A WARNING
Always observe the posted speed limits and
adjust your speed to s uit prevailing road, traf­
fic and weather cond itions. Never drive your
vehicle faster than t he maximum speed rat ing
of the tires installed.
Speed warning system
Introduction
The speed warning system helps you to stay un­
der a specified maximum speed.
-
The speed warning system warns you if you are
exceeding the maximum speed that you have set .
You will hear a wa rning tone when your speed ex­
ceeds the stored va lue by app roxima tely 3 mph
(3 km/h). The. (U SA mode ls)/ . (Canada
models) ind ic a tor light and the message
Speed
limit e xceeded!
appear in the inst rument cluste r
disp lay at the same time. The./. indicato r
light t urns off when the speed decreases be low
the stored maximum speed.
Se tting a thresho ld is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when yo u reach a certain
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
to do so include driving in a country wit h a gener-
130
al speed limit or if there is a spec ified maximum
speed for winter tires.
(D Tips
Regar dless o f th e speed war ning system, you
shou ld always monitor your spee d using the
speedometer and make s ure yo u are fo llow ing
the legal speed limit .
Setting the threshold
You can set, change and delete the threshold in
the MMI .
.. Sele ct: the I M ENU I button >Car > Systems*
control button > Drive r assi stance > Speed
wa rning.
You can se t any thresho ld between 20 mp h
(3 0 km/h) and 150 mph (2 40 km/ h). Settings
can each be adj usted in increments of S mph ( 10
km/ h).
Cruise control system
· Description
Applies to vehicles: with cruise control system
The cru ise cont rol system ma kes it possib le to
dr ive at a constan t speed starti ng at 15 mph
(2 0 k m/h).
The speed is kep t constant by mod ifying engine
power or through an active bra ke interven tion.
A WARNING
- Always p ay att ention to the tr affi c ar ou nd
you whe n the cruise co ntro l is in opera tion.
Y ou are always responsible fo r your speed
and the distance between your veh icle and
other vehicles.
- For safety reasons, cruise cont rol should not
be used in the city, in stop-and-go traff ic, on
winding roads and when road conditions a re
poor (such as ice, fog, g ravel, heavy ra in and
hyd roplaning), because this inc reases the
ris k of an accident.
- Switch the cruise control off temporarily
when dr iv ing in turning lanes, highway exits
or in constr uct ion zones.
-

Inte llig ent Techn olo gy
tak ing risks . This could increase your risk of
a collision.
- Please note the risk of a collision increases
when driving fast, especially through curves
and on slippery or wet roads, and when driv­
ing too close to objects ahead. The ESC and
its integrated systems cannot always pre­
vent collisions - there is still a r isk of acci­
dents!
- Press the accelerator pedal carefully when
accelerating on even, s lippery surfaces such
as ice and snow. The drive wheels can spin
Switching on/off
even when these control systems are instal­
led and this can affect dr iving stability and
increase the risk of a collision.
@ Tips
- ABS and ASR only function correctly when
all four wheels are equipped with identical
tires . Different tire sizes can lead to a reduc­
t ion in engine power.
- You may hear noises when the systems de­
scribed are working.
ESC turns on automatically when you start the engine .
Fig . 1 47 Upper center conso le: ESC butto n
function of the ESC is limited or switched off. The
amount of stabilization contro l will differ de­
pending on the level.
In the follow ing unusual situations it may make
sense to switch the ESC sport mode on to allow
the wheels to spin:
- Rocking the vehicle to free it when it is stuck
- Dr iving in deep snow or on loose g ro und
The ESC is des igned to function in levels. Depend­
ing on the level that is selected, the stabilization
Sport mode on ESC/ASR off Sport mode off or
ESC /ASR on
Beh avio r
The ESC and ASR stabiliza-
The stabilization function is The full stabilization tune-
tion functions are limited not available
¢ &.
. ESC and
tion of the ESC and ASR is
¢&_ . ASR are switched off. avai lable again.
Operati on Press the I~ OFF I button P ress and hold the I~ OFFI Press the I~ OFFI button
briefly . button longer than 3 sec -again.
onds .
Indicat or II turns on. II and lf11f•lH * turn on . II turns off or II and
lights lf111,n~ · turn off .
Driv e r mes- Stab ilization cont rol (E S C): Stabilization control (ESC ):
Stabilizat ion cont rol
sa ge s s port. Warning ! Re st ric ted off . Warning ! Re stri cted (E
SC ): On
st ability stability
160

,....,
N
0 > co ,...., Indicator lights and messages
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
If th is ind icator light turns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steering may
h ave fa iled.
Do
not cont inue driving . See an authorized Aud i
dealer or authorized Aud i Serv ice Faci lity for as­
sistance.
• Do not dr ive vehicle: steering defective
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
lock. You cannot turn the ignition on.
Do
not tow your vehicle beca use it cannot be
steered. See an authorized A udi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
':r- ij Steering malfunction : you can continue driv­
ing
I f the indicator light turns on, the steering whee l
may be more diff icult to move o r more sensitive
than usual. The steering wheel may also be at an
angle when driving st raight.
Drive slowly to an author ized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Service Facility to have the mal­
function corrected.
1;11 Steering lock: system fault! Please contact
Service
There is a malfunction in the electronic steering
lock.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dea ler or authorized
Aud i Service Faci lity immediately to have the
malfunct ion corrected.
A WARNING -
Have the system malfunction corrected as
soon as possible by an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Facility, as this in­
creases the risk of an accident .
(D Tips
If the . or t~ff indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue dr iv in g.
Intelligent Technology
All wheel drive (quattro)
Applies to vehicles: with all wheel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels ore powered.
General information
In all wheel dr ive, the driving power is div ided be­
tween all fou r wheels . This happens automatical­
ly depending on yo ur driving behavior as well as
the current road conditions . A lso see
c> page 159, Electronic stabilization control
(ESC).
The all whee l drive concept is designed for high
engine power. Yo ur vehicle is exceptionally pow­
erfu l and has excellent driving characteristics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­
cautions
c> ,&. .
Winter tires
By using all wheel drive, your vehicle has good
forward motion with standard tires in winter con­
ditions. However, in winter we recommend using
winter or all season tires on
all four wheels, be­
cause this will improve the
broking effect.
Snow chains
If there are snow chain laws, snow chains must
also be used on veh icles w ith all wheel dr ive
c> page 269, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
For vehicles with a ll wheel d rive, only wheels with
the same rolling circumference should be used .
Avoid wheels with different tread depths
c> poge 260.
Offroad vehicle?
Your Audi is not an offroad vehicle -there is not
enough ground clearance. For this reason, avoid
difficu lt terrain . Also see<=)
page 302.
A WARNING
--Also, in veh icles with all whee l drive, adapt
your driving style to the current road and
traffic cond itions. Do not let the increased
safety prov ided tempt you into taking r isks.
163

.... N
0 > co .... .... -Please observe information on safe driving
~page 166.
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 be­
cause 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 w indows,
- Close the power roof*,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument pan-
el,
- 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 se­
curely 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 espe­
cially with the rear lid left open. A child
could crawl into the vehicle through the lug­
gage compartment and close the rear lid be­
coming trapped and unable to get out. Be­
ing trapped in a vehicle can lead to serious
personal injury.
- Never let children play in or around the vehi­
cle.
- Never let passengers r ide in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must al­
ways be properly restrained in one of the ve­
hicle's seating positions.
(D Tips
- Air circulation helps to reduce window fog­
ging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel. Be sure to
keep these slots free and open.
Driving safety
-The tire pressure must correspond to the
load. The tire pressure is shown on the tire
pressure label. The tire pressure label is lo­
cated on the driver's side B-pillar . 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 man­ ufactured. For recommended tire pressures
for normal load conditions, please see chap­
ter
~ page 263.
' 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 properly
~ page 172, Loading the luggage compartment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even
smaller items that are loose in the vehicle will
become heavy missiles that can cause serious in­
jury. Items in the vehicle possess energy which
vary w ith 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 sudden ly 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 col­
lision like th is.
A 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 per­
sona l injury.
- Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from shifting or flying forward as dan­
gerous missiles .
- When the rear seat backrest is folded down,
always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
173

,..., N 0 > 00 ,..., \D Ln ,..., \D ....
Tires and wheels
Wheels
General information
... Check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob­
jects from the tire tread.
.,. If driving over c urbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap ­
proach the curb at an angle.
.,.Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
... Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
.,.Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled .
... Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as possible.
(D Note
-Please note that summer and winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical in those seasons. Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
ing the winter months. Low
temperatures significantly de­
crease the elasticity of summ ­
er tires, which affects traction
Tires and wheels
and braking ab ility. If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form on the tread bars, result ing in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be
used in winter driving condi­
tions. The surface of the rims does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or sim ilar
substances.
Ti re designations
Fig. 202 Tire specification codes on the
sidewall of a tire .,.
253

Tires and wheels
(D Tires for passenger vehicles
(if applicable)
P indicates a tire for a passenger
vehicle. T indicates a tire desig­ nated for temporary use.
@ Nominal width
Nominal width of the tire be­
tween the sidewalls in millime­
ters. In general: the larger the number, the wider the tire.
@ Aspect ratio
Height/width ratio expressed as a
percentage.
@ Tire construction
R indicates a radial tire.
® Rim diameter
Size of the rim diameter in inches.
@ Load index and speed rating
The load index indicates the tire's
load-carrying capacity.
The speed rating indicates the maximum permitted speed
¢ & in
Winter tires on page 269 .
"EXTRA LOAD", "xl" or "RF" indi­
cates that the tire is reinforced or
is an Extra Load tire.
Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
ing
p
up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (160 km/h )
254 Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
ing
R
u p to 106 mph (170 km/h)
s up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
u up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)al
z above 149 mph (240 km/h)al
w up to 168 mph (270 km/h)al
y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)al
a) Tire manufacturers sometimes use "ZR"
for ti res with a maximum speed above
149 mph (240 km/h).
(j) US DOT number (TIN) and
manufacture date
The manufacture date is listed on
the tire sidewall (it may only ap­
pear on the inner side of the tire):
DOT ... 2215 ...
means, for example, that the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of
the year 2015.
@ Audi Original equipment
tires
Audi Original equipment tires
with the designation "AO" or "RO"
have been specially matched to
your Audi . When used correctly,
these tires meet the highest standards of safety and handling.
An authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility will .,..