AUDI A4 2018 Owners Manual

Wheels
comparisons among tires. The
UTQG is not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will
last for a prescribed number of
miles (kilometers) or perform in a
certain way. It simply gives tire
buyers additional information to
combine with other considera ­
tions, such as price, brand loyalty
and dealer recommendations. Un ­
der UTQG, tires are graded by the
tire manufacturers in three areas:
treadwear, traction, and tempera ­
ture resistance. The UTQG i nfor­
mation on the tires, molded into
the sidewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN)
T his is the tire's "serial number".
It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The nex t
two numbers or letters indicate
the plant where it was manufac­
tured, and the last four numbers represent the week and year of
manufacture. For example,
DOT ... 2216 ...
means that the tire was produced
in the 22nd wee k of 2016. The
other numbers are marketing co­
des that may or may not be used
3 4 0
by the t ire manufacturer . This in­
formation is used to contact con­
sumers if a tire defect requ ires a
recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and lug­
gage load pl us 150 lbs. (68 k ilo ­
grams) times the vehicle's desig­ na ted seating capacity .
Vehicle maximum load on the
tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determined by distrib ­
uting to each axle its sha re of the
maximum loaded vehic le we ight
and dividing
by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual
tire that is determined by d istrib­
ut ing to each axle its share of the
curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupan t weight (dis­
tr ibuted in accordance with
¢ ta­
ble on page 346) and d ividing by
two.
Occupant loading and distri­ bution for vehicle normal load
for various designated seating capacities
Refer to the tire inflation p res -
sure label
¢page 3 4 4, fig. 277 .,.

for the number of seating posi­
tions. Refer to the table ¢
table
on page 346
for the number of
people that correspond to the ve­
hicle normal load.
New tires or wheels
Audi recommends having all work on tires or wheels performed by
an author ized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility.
These facilities have the proper
knowledge and are equipped with
the required tools and replace­
ment parts.
.,.New tires do not yet have the
optimum gripping properties. Drive carefully and at moderate
speeds for the first 350 miles
(500 km) with new tires.
.,.Use tires of the same construc­
tion, size (rolling circumference)
and as close to the same tread
pattern as possible on all four
wheels.
.,.Do not replace tires individually .
At least replace both tires on the
same axle at the same time.
.,.Audi recommends that you use
Audi Original Tires. If you would
~ like to use different tires, please .-<
~ note that the tires may perform .-< 0
~ a:,
Wheels
differently even if they are the
same
size ¢.&,. .
.,. If you would like to equip your
vehicle with a tire/rim combina­
tion that is different from what
was installed at the factory, con­
sult with an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility before making a pur­
chase¢ .&,..
If the spare tire is different from
the regular tires installed on the
vehicle
-for example, if winter
tires or wide tires are installed
-
then only use the spare tire tem­
porarily in case of emergency and
drive carefully while it is in use . It
should be replaced with a regular
tire as soon as possible.
On
all wheel drive vehicles, all
four wheels must be equipped
with tires that are the same brand
and have the same construction
and tread pattern so that the
drive system is not damaged by different tire speeds. For this rea­
son, in case of emergency, only
use a spare tire that has the same
circumference as the regular
tires.
341

Wheels
&,. WARNING
-Do not use steel rims that are 17 inches or larger . Other­
wise, damage to the vehicle
and an accident could result.
-For technical reasons, it is not
possible to use tires from oth­
er vehicles - in some cases,
you cannot even use tires from
the same vehicle model.
-Make sure that the tires you
select have enough clearance
to the vehicle. Replacement
tires should not be chosen
simply based on the nominal
size, because tires with a dif­
ferent construction can differ greatly even if they are the
same size . If there is not
enough clearance, the tires or
the vehicle can be damaged
and this can reduce driving
safety and increase the risk of an accident.
-Only use tires that are more than six years old when abso­
lutely necessary and drive
carefully when doing so .
-Do not use run-flat tires on your vehicle. Using them when
not permitted can lead to ve­
hicle damage or accidents.
342
-If you install wheel covers on the vehicle, make sure they al­
low enough air circulation to
cool the brake system. If they
do not, this could increase the
risk of an accident.
Tire wear /damage
Fig. 275 Tire profile: treadwear indica­
tor
Tire wear
Check the tires regularly for wear.
-Inflation pressure that is too low
or high can increase tire wear
considerably.
- Driving quickly through curves,
rapid acceleration and heavy
braking increase tire wear.
-Have an authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Facili­
ty check the wheel alignment if
there is unusual wear .
-Have the wheels rebalanced if an
imbalance is causing noticeable
vibration in the steering wheel. If you do not, the tires and other
..

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vehicle components could wear more quickly.
Treadwear indicator
Original equipment tires contain
treadwear indicators in the tread pattern, which are bars that are
1/16 in (1.6 mm) high and are
spaced evenly around the tire per­
pendicular to the running direc­
tion¢ fig. 275. The letters "TWI"
or triangles on the tire sidewall indicate the location of the tread­
wear indicators.
The tires have reached the mini­ mum tread depth
l) when they
have worn down to the treadwear
indicators. Replace the tires with
new ones
¢ A.
Tire rotation
Rotating the tires regularly is rec­
ommended to ensure the tires
wear evenly. To rotate the tires,
install the tires from the rear axle
on the front axle and vice versa.
This will allow the tires to have
approximately the same length of
service life.
For unidirectional tires, make
sure the tires are installed accord-
8 l) Obey any applicable regulations in your
! country.
Wheels
ing to the running direction indi­
cated on the tire sidewall
¢ page 366 .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims can of­
ten occur in locations that are hidden. Unusual vibrations in the
vehicle 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 Audi Service Fa­
cility to have the vehicle inspect­
ed.
A WARNING
Tread that has worn too low or
different tread depths on the
tires can reduce driving safety.
This can increase the risk of an
accident because it has a nega­
tive effect on handling, driving
through curves, and braking,
and because it increases the
risk of hydroplaning when driv­
ing through deep puddles.
343

Wheels
Tire pressure
Fig. 276 Driver's side 8-pillar: tire pres ­
sure label
io
-
i' 9 ~ c=- =_ -_,_, -- --... - .- -- .- -- .-~ t='I
- - ----_ l i
_NOlall!:Ol,ua.s fOTAL AYA>lf .t.MICftf I/ ~ n,.....,...__ ........ .,._... ..... ._....,. . ... ... l ..................... ......,....,..,.......,.... ... -..
-KP a PSI
-KPA. a PSI J
l== ===·
=KP ='A.= ·=PSl = ~~~~
Fig. 277 Tir e pr essur e lab el
The correct tire pressure for tires
installed at the factory is listed on
a
label ¢ fig. 2 76. The sticker is
located on the door pillar (driver's
side)
¢ fig. 2 77. The location may
vary depending on the model.
Use the tire pressure specified for
a normal vehicle load when the
vehicle is partially
Loaded¢ table
on page 346.
If driving the vehi­
cle when fully loaded, you must increase the tire pressure to the
maximum specified
pressure ¢ A-
344
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 Labe l ¢fig. 277for
the correct tire pressure based
on vehicle load.
.,..Correct the tire pressure if nec­
essary .
.,..Store the new tire pressure in
the Infotainment system
¢ page 353 .
.,.Check the pressure in the spare
tire (compact spare tire)*. Al­
ways maintain the maximum
temperature that is specified for
the tire.
A WARNING
Always adapt the t ire pressure
to your driving style and vehicle load.
-Overloading can lead to loss of vehicle control and increase
the risk of an accident. Read and follow the important safe­
ty precautions in
¢ page 347,
Tires and vehicle load limits.

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~ a:,
-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 in­
creases tire wear and has a
negative effect on driving and
braking behavior, which in­
creases the risk of an accident .
(D Note
Replace lost valve caps to re­
duce the risk of damage to the
tire valves.
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 B­
pillar, always follow the specifica­
tion on the B -pillar label
¢ page 344, fig. 2 76.
Wheels
'® For the sake of the environment
-Tire pressure that is too low
increases fuel consumption.
-Fuel consumption may also in­
crease when driving with the
comfort tire pressure is se­
lected.
Audi recommends using the
tire pressure specified for a
normal load
¢ table on
page 346
or for a full load
when the vehicle 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 .
..
345

Wheels
Model/ Tire designation Tire pressure
Engine Normal load
Maximum load
(up to 3 people)
front rear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA
PSI kPA PSI kPA
225 /50 Rl 7 94H
30 210 28 190 32 220 32 220
A4 sedan: All Season
2 .0L 245
/40 R18 93Y
30 21 0 28 190 32 22 0 32 220
4-cylinder High Performance
( 190 hp )
245/40 R18 97H
35 240 32 220 35 240 35 240 Gasoline All season
engine 245/35 R19 93Y
35 240
32 220 36 250 39 270 High Performan ce
225 /50 Rl 7 94H
30 21 0 28 190 35 240 35 240
A4 sedan : All Season
2.0L 245/40 R18 93Y
30
210 28 190
33 230
33 230
4-cyl
inder High Performan
ce
( 252 hp )
245/40 R18 97H
3 5 240
32 220 36 250 36 250 Gasoline
All season
engine 245/35 R19 93Y
36 250 33 230 41 28 0 44 300 High Performance
225/50 Rl 7 94H
32 220 29 200 36 250 36 250 All Season
A4 sedan :
245 /40 R18 93Y
2 10 28 190 3 3 230 33 230
30 2.0L
High Performance
4 cylinders
245/40 R18 97H
32 220 36 250 36 250 Diesel en-35 240 All season
gine
245/35 R19 93Y
270 42
290
35 240
32 220 39
High Performan ce
S4 sedan: 245 /40 R18 97Y
3 6 2 50 33 230 3 8 260 3 8 260 3.0 liter High Performance
6-cyl inder
245/40 R18 97H
35 240
32 220
36 250
36 250 Gasoline
All season
engine 245/35 R19 93Y
39 270 35 24
0 44
300 45 3 10 High Performance
allroad: 225/55 R17 97Y
3
2 22 0 29 200 33 230 30 2 10
2 .0L High Performance
4 cylinder s 245/45 R18 96Y
32 220 29 200 35
240
32 220
Gasoline High Performan
ce
engine 245/45 R18 l00H
3 2 220 3 2 220 35 24 0 35 2 40 and
All Season
diesel en- 245/40 R19 98Y
35 240 32 220 38 260
35 2
4 0 gine
High Performance
346

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~ a:,
.&_ WARNING
Please note the important safe­
ty precautions regarding tire
pressure
¢ page 344 and load
limits
¢ page 347 .
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of
load or weight that any vehicle
and any tire can carry. A vehicle
that is overloaded will not handle
well and is more difficult to stop.
Overloading can not only lead to
loss of vehicle control, but can al­
so damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden
tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation that can
cause the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your pas­ sengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not ex ­
ceeded. Vehicle load includes ev­
erybody and everything in and on
the vehicle. These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehi­ cle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat­
ing
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight
of the basic vehicle, all factory in­
stalled accessories , a full tank of
fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
Wheels
plus maximum load. The maxi­
mum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is in­
tended to carry ("seating capaci­
ty") with an assumed weight of
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
.,.
347

Wheels
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker on the driver's side B­ pillar respectively on the front
end of the driver's door.
& 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 increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance .
-Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail sud ­
denly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss of control and a crash .
-Always make sure that the to­ tal load being transported -
including the weight of a trail­
er hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer -
does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
348
Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu­
late the total weight of the pas­
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overload ­
ed.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU­
PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS" on your vehicle's placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢ page 344, fig. 277.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­ sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or "XXX"
pounds shown on the stick­
er ¢ page 344, fig. 2 77.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity . For ex­
ample, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
.,.

a co .... N ,....
N .... 0 0
3 co
be f ive 150 lb s. pa ssenge rs in
yo ur ve hicle, th e amo unt of
ava ila bl e c argo a nd lu ggag e
l oa d cap acity is 650 lb s.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lb s.)
5 . Determin e th e co mbined
we ig ht of lu ggag e and cargo
bein g load ed on the ve hicle .
Th at w eight may not sa fely ex­
c e e d th e ava ilabl e ca rgo a nd
lugg age l oad ca paci ty ca lc ul at ­
e d in St ep 4 .
6 . If yo ur vehicle will b e to wing a
tr ailer, load from y our tr ailer
will b e tran sferr ed to y our v e­
hi cle . C on sul t thi s manual t o
dete rmin e how this re duces
th e av ailabl e c argo and lug­
ga ge load capac ity o f your vehi­
c le.
..,.Ch eck the tire side wall
(c:> page 334, fi g . 2 7 4) to d eter­
min e the de sign ated load r ating
for a sp ecifi c tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/t ighten
eas ily .
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consist of mu ltip le pieces. These compo­
nents were bolted together using special bolts
Wh eel s
and a special procedu re. Yo u must not repair or
disassemb le them
~ &. .
A WARNING
-Wheel bo lts that are tightened or repaired in-
correct ly can become loose and resu lt in loss
of vehicle contro l, wh ich increases the risk of
an accident. For the cor rect tighten ing specifi­
cation,
see¢ page 366, Finishing .
-Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hub clean and free of
g rease .
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by an
author ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Serv ice Facility . Never repair or disassemb le
rims yourself, because th is increases the r isk
of an a cc ident.
Winter tires
Winter tires signific ant ly imp rove the vehicle 's
handling when dr iv ing in winter conditions . B e­
ca use of their construct ion (w idth, compound,
tread pattern), summer tires provide less t rac ­
tion on ice and snow .
.,. Use winter tires on all four wheels.
.,. Only use winter tires that are approved for your
vehicle.
.,. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter
tires ¢,& . An
author ized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum permitted speed for your tires .
.,. Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
~page 344 .
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is wo rn down to a depth of
0.16 in (4 mm). The cha racteristics of w inte r
ti res a lso decrease g reatly as the ti re ages, re­
gardless of the rema in ing t read.
A WARNING
-
- Never drive fas ter than the max imum per­
mitted speed for your tires . This could cause
the tires to heat up too much. This increases
..,.
349