wheel bolts AUDI A4 CABRIOLET 2009 Owners Manual

Cleaning and protection 1111111
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Ap plies t o vehi cles : wi th C ast allo y wh eels
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
-Wash the wheels w ith a sponge or hose brush every
other week .
- For deep cleaning after wards, use on ly a dedicated
acid ­
free cast alloy wheel c leaner .
- Rub a co at of
liquid wax onto t he rims every three m onth.
Be sure t o reach and tre at all parts of the rim .
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cas t alloy whee ls,
some special care is necessary . In addition to road dirt and salt,
brake du st is also corr osive. If left on f or to o long, brake dust can
cause pitting .
U se only specia l
acid-free cleaners formulated for alloy rims. Safe
p roducts are available at your Aud i dea ler . N ever leave the cleaner
on the rims longer than specified on the label. If not rinsed off
promp tly, the acid conta ined in so me cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bolts .
Never use abrasive or metal po lishing cleaning agents . If the protec­
tive coating has been chipped, e .g. by kicked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as possib le .
& WARNING
• Moisture and ice on br akes may affect braking efficiency
=> page 215 , "General infor mation ". Te st the br ake s c arefully ea ch
time you wash the vehicle .
• Alw ay s read and heed all WARNINGS and ot her informat ion
=> page 2 30 . •
Body cavity sealing
T he body c avity seali ng does not need to be checke d.
A ll body cavities which could be affected by corrosion have been
given thorough protecti on a t the fact ory.
This sealing does not require any inspection or add itional treat ­
ment . If any wax shou ld seep out of the cavity when the ambient
temperature is high, it can be removed with a p lastic scraper and a
suitable solvent.
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous.
• Benz ine is fla mmable and to xic. If you use benz ine for removing
the wax, keep sparks, flame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
dump benz ine on the ground , into open stream s or do wn sewage
drains .
• Be sure to ob ser ve all safety and environmental regulations .
Follow all in structions on the container.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 230. •
Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage from time to
time.
The lower body she ll of your Audi is a lso thoroughly pro tected
against corrosion.
Any damage to the u nde rcoating caused by road ha za rds sh ould be
repaired promptly .
& WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong pla ces can cause a f ire .
Ve hic le care

Tires a nd wh eels BIii ________________________________ :....:.:.....::.=.....::.:..:..:..::..:___:___:..__ __
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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 vehicle, particular ly considering the comparative ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regular ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts , slashes irregular wear
and overal l condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avo iding d am age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, oil, gasoline and brake
flu id off the ti res .
I nspect the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc .!.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads .
Storing tire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota ­
tion. This ensures you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstall them. When removed, the whee
ls or tires should be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
Store tires in a vertical position i f they are not mounted on r ims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
N ew tire s
New tires have to be broken in => &.
The tread depth of new tires may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
Hidd en d am ag e
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehic le pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an author ized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Uni dir ection al tire s
A unidirect ional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
the specified direction of ro tation . This is necessary so that these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more information
=> page 298.
Rim s with bolted rim ring *
Light-alloy wheels with a bo lted rim ring consist of several parts .
These parts are screwed together with special bo lts, using a specific
technique. This ensures proper function, seal, safety, and true running of the wheel. For this reason, damaged rims shou ld be
replaced, and you should never repair or dismantle them
=> & .
Rim s with screw -on decorative co vers *
Light-a lloy whee ls can be furnished with interchangeab le decora -
tive covers that are mounted to the rim with se lf -locking bolts. ...
Vehic le care

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
toring system* would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn you if it is necessa ry.
• T he battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
r ecommend us ing facto ry insta lled va lve stem caps. Ask you r autho ­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost va lve stem caps.
T he installation of rep lacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
t he tire sidewall may cause mal functi on of the tir e pressure mo ni­
toring system , and is not recommended (cord material information
in mo lded o n th e ti re sid ewa ll) .
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system * indicator after
r eplacing one or mo re ti res on your veh ic le . I f the ti re p ress ure
m onito ring syste m* ind icator flashes, or is o n, your s ystem is not
wo rking properly . Your replacement t ire might be incompatible with
yo ur tir e pressure mon ito ring system* , o r so me compo nen t of th e
tire p ressure monitoring system * may be damaged .
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and I or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use t ires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fa il suddenly,
espe cially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speed s.
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire f ailure and loss of vehicle control.
& W ARNING (continued )
• All four wheels mu st be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driv ing
with different tires redu ces vehicle h andling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle - for e xample with winter tire s - only u se the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
the ir rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up, sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control .
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chnical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicle s -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked. Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tire s may only be used on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a cha ssis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
s ystem that indicate s a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
autho rized Audi dealer or t ire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat tires are used , they mu st
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... 911
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& WARNING (conti nued )
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires repl aced immed i­
ately.
• Winter tires have ma ximum speed rat ing that may be lower
than your vehi cle' s maximum speed.
• Never drive faster than the speed for which the winter or other
tire s installed on your vehicle are rated.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and traffi c cond it ions .
Never let the good acceleration of the winter tires and all -wheel
drive tempt you into taking e xtr a risks . Alway s remember :
• When braking, an all -wheel drive vehicle handles in the same
way as a front drive vehi cle.
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery road s,
even winter tires cannot help under black ice condit ions .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather conditions permit. They are
qu ieter, d o not wear as qu ick ly and reduce fue l con sump tion.•
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to t he fr ont w heels, and only to
certain tire sizes . Ask your authorized Aud i dealer on which tire
s izes sn ow chains ca n be used .
I f you are going to use snow chains, then you must instal l them on
the front wheels at least.
Th e snow chains must have low- prof ile l inks and must n ot be t hicke r
than 0 .53 inch (13 .5 mm), including the lock. Remove whee
l center covers and trim discs before putting snow
chains o n yo ur vehicle =>
(D. For safe ty reaso ns cover caps must
then be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are available from autho ­
r iz ed Audi dealer s.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chain s for your vehicle o r installing them
incorre ctly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
s erious personal injury .
• Snow chains are available in d iffe rent sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac ­
turer .
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains .
• Always observe local regulations.
(}) Note
• Remove snow c hai ns be fore d riving on roads not covered wit h
snow to avoid damaging tires and wearing the snow cha ins down
unnec essarily .
• Snow chains, which come into direct contact with the wheel rim,
can scratc h or damage it. Therefore, make sure tha t the snow cha ins
are suitably covered. Check the position of the snow chains after
dr iv in g a few yards an d cor rect if necessary . Fo llow the i nstruct ions
from the snow cha in manufacturer when do ing so.
[ i ] Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
a lso a pplie s to veh ic le s wi th A ll Wheel D rive .•
Ve hic le care

IIIJIL_T~ ir~e =s~ a~n~ d~ w~ h ~e~e~ l~ s '.,_ ______________________________________________ _
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the correct
torque .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory installed rims . If
different rims are fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that
whee ls are fitted securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
I n certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model~ page 318.
& WARNING
Improperl y tightened or maintained wheel bolt s can be come loose
c au sing lo ss of control , a co llis ion and seriou s personal injur y.
• Alwa ys keep the wheel bolt s and the th reads in the wheel hubs
c lean so the wheel bolt s can turn ea sily and be properl y tightened.
• Never gre ase or oil the wheel bolt s and the thre ad s i n the wheel
hub s. They can become lo ose while drivin g if gre ased or oiled ,
e ven if tig hten ed to th e specifi ed torque .
• Onl y use wheel bo lt s th at bel ong to the rim being in sta lled.
• Nev er use differ ent wheel s bolt s on your vehicle.
• Alway s m aintai n the corre ct t ightenin g to rq ue for the whee l
bo lt s to r edu ce the ri sk of a whe el los s. If the tighten ing torque of
t h e w heel bolt s is too l ow, they c an loose n a nd com e out when th e
v ehicl e is mov ing . If th e tighte ning torque is t oo high, the whe el
b ol ts an d threads can be dam ag ed and the whee l can become
loo se .
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 90 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
tolerance of ± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque whee l bolts diagonally.
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench
-preferably by an authorized Audi
dea ler or qua lified workshop .•
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is fac tory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These tires
have been thorough ly tested and been selected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road feel and hand ling under
a variety of driving conditions . Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is ind icated by a numera l of 55 or
l e ss in the tire's size designation . The numera l represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relat ion to its tread w idth expressed
in percentage. Conventiona l tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more .
T he perform ance of lo w-as pect-rati o tire s is part ic ul arl y s ensit ive to
improp er infla tion pr essure. It i s there fore important that low
a s pect ra tio tir es are inflated to the sp ec ified pre ssure an d th at th e
i nfl ation pre ssure is regularl y checked and m aintained . T ir e pres ­
s ure s should b e checked a t lea st once a month and alw ays before a
long trip~ page 274, "Checking tire pressure".
What you can d o to avoid tire a nd rim dama ge
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ly by impact with
potho les, curbs, gull ies or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire
is underinflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact damage to the tires
of your vehic le, we recommend that you observe the fo llowing
precautions:
• Always maintain recommended inflation pressures . Check your
tire pressure every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary .
• Drive careful ly on roads with potholes, deep gullies or ridges.
The impact from driving through or over such obstacles can
damage your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to
your tires . .,_

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- Se curely en gage the han dle in th e lu ggage com partm ent
se al as illust rate d to k eep th e flo or panel up.
- Take o ut tool case and/or jack .
- Dise ngage and lower the floo r panel befo re yo u close the
luggage compa rtment lid again .
The onboard tool kit inc ludes:
• Hook for re moving whee l cove rs*
• Plastic hook to remove wheel bolt covers
• Wheel bolt wrench
• Alignment pin for changing wheels
• Screwdriver with reversible b lade
• Tow ing eye
Before storing the jack, make sure it is wound back down as far as it
wi ll g o.
After use , the jack and tools must be put back in place underneath
the floor panel in the luggage compartment .
Note : some o f the o n board i te m s liste d abo ve are provi ded on
certain models on ly or are optional extras .
& WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle ja ck can cause serious personal inju­
ries .
• Using a bumpe r jack to raise the vehicle will damage the
bumper system . The jack may slip , causing injury .
• Never support your vehicle on cinder blocks , bricks or other
objects . These may not be able to support the load and could
c ause injury when they fail.
• Never start o r run the engine while the vehicle is supported by
the jack.
& WARNING (continued )
• If you must work under the vehicle, always use safety stands
specifically designed for this purpose .
• Never try and use the hexagonal socket in the handle of the
screwdriver to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
• Always make sure the spare tire and even a flat tire are secured
in pla ce and not loose , otherwise they could fly forward , causing
personal injury to passengers in the vehicle in an accident or
s udden maneuver .
• Never use the jack supplied with your Audi on another vehicle,
particularly on a heavier one. The jack i s only suitable for use on
the vehicle it came with. •
App lie s to ve hic les : w ith a reg ular sp are whee l
Spare wheel
Th e s pare whe el i s stor ed in th e wh eel w ell unde rneath
the fl oor pan el in th e lugg age c omp artme nt.
Fig . 21 5 luggage
compartment: spa re
w heel
Yo ur v ehi cle is equi pped wi th a regular spare wheel. It i s
h eld in pla ce by pla stic re tainin g knur le d sc re w .
~ehicle care Do-it-yourse lf service irechnical data

_____________________________________________ W_ h _a_t _ d_ o_ l _d _o _ n_o_ w_ ?_ . _ ..... 19111
•
& WARNING (continued)
pressure table - risk of accident! Use the highest tire pressure in
the table.
• Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) - risk of accident!
• Avoid full-throttle acceleration, sharp braking, and fast
cornering - risk of accident!
• Never drive using more than one space-saving spare wheel -
risk of accident!
• Normal summer or winter tires must not be fitted on the space­
saving spare wheel rim. •
Wheel change
Before changing a wheel
Follow these points for your own and your passenger's
safety when replacing a wheel.
-After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach level ground before
you stop => & .
- All passengers should leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail)=>& .
- Apply the parking brake firmly=>&.
- Move selector lever to position Pon an automatic trans-
mission; put manual transmission in first gear =>& .
- If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle.
- Take the tool case and the spare tire=>
page 290 out of
the luggage compartment.
& WARNING
You or your passengers could be injured while changing a wheel if
you do not follow these safety precautions:
• If you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off the road. Turn off
the engine, turn the emergency flasher on and use other warning devices to alert other motorists .
• Make sure that passengers wait in a safe place away from the
vehicle and well away from the roadway and traffic.
• To help prevent the vehicle from moving suddenly and possibly
slipping off the jack, always fully set the parking brake and block
the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed. When one
front wheel is lifted off the ground, placing the Automatic Trans­
mission in "P" (Park), or engaging a gear in a manual transmission
will
not prevent the vehicle from moving .
• Before you change a wheel, be sure the ground is level and firm.
If necessary, use a sturdy board under the jack.
• After installing the spare wheel, make sure that you remount
the flat tire/wheel in its storage area properly and tighten the
knurled retaining screw securely. •
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel, follow the sequence described
below step-by -step and exactly in that order.
1. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For more details
see also =>
page 294, "Decorative wheel covers" or
=>
page 295, "Wheels with cap-covered wheel bolts".
2. Loosen the wheel bolts=>
page 295.
3. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align
the jack below that point=>
page 296.
4. Lift the car with the jack=> page 296. _,..
Do-it-yourself service

_1.--_W:...:....: h..:.. a=-.: t..:..d= o....:... I .=d .:..;o:......;. n..:.. o.::...;. vv..:....:.. ? ______________________________________________ _
5. Take the flat wheel off and then put the spare on
=> page 297.
6. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
7.
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
8. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly tighten all wheel
bolts
=> page 295.
9. Put the decorative wheel cover* back on.
& WARNING
Always read and head all WARNINGS and information ~ & in
"Raising the vehicle" on
page 296 and ~ page 298. •
After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the following
actions.
- Store and secure the replaced wheel in the spare wheel
well.
- Put the tool case and the jack back in place in the luggage
compartment .
- Check the
tire pressure on the spare wheel immediately
after mounting it.
- As soon as possible , have the
tightening torques on all
wheel bolts checked with a torque wrench. The correct
tightening torque is 90 ft lb (120 Nm).
- Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possible.
[ i ] Tips
• If you notice while changing a tire that the wheel bolts are
corroded and difficult to turn, then they should be replaced before
you check the tightening torque.
• Drive at reduced speed until you have the tightening torques
checked .•
A pp lies to vehicle s: wi th dec orat ive w heel cove rs
Decorative wheel covers
The decorative wheel covers must be removed first to
access the wheel bolts.
Removing
"' ....
"' 0 ±. .,
"'
Fig. 216 Wheel
change : removing the
wheel cover
- Insert the hook provided with the onboard tool kit into
the hole on the center hub piece.
- Pull off the
decorative wheel cover=> fig. 216. •

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Ap plies to vehic les: with cap-covered wheel bolts
Wheels with cap-covered wheel bolts
The caps must be removed first from the wheel bolts
before the bolts can be unscrewed.
Removing
Fig . 217 Wheel
change : removing the
wheel bolt caps
- Push the plastic clip provided with the onboard tool kit
down over the wheel bolt cap until it engages.
- Pull on the properly engaged plastic clip to extract the
cap:::> fig. 217.
Refitting
- Place the caps over the wheel bolts and push them back
1n.
The caps are there to protect and keep the wheel bolts clean.•
Loosening and tightening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising the
vehicle.
Loosening
Fig . 218 Wheel
change : loosening the
wheel bolts
-Fit the wheel bolt wrench over the wheel bolt and push it
down as far as it will go.
- Close your grip around the end of the wrench handle for
maximum torque and turn the wheel bolts counter-clock­
wise about one single turn in the direction of arrow
:::> fig. 218 .
Tightening Fit the wheel bolt wrench over the wheel bolt and push it
down as far as it will go.
- Close your grip around the end of the wrench handle for
maximum torque and turn each wheel bolt clockwise
until it sits tight. .,
~ehicle care Do-it-yourse lf service irechnical data

11111...__W_ h_ a_ t_d_ o_ l _d _o_ n_ o_ vv_ ? ______________________________________________ _
& WARNING
• Using force without control to speed the wheel change up can
cause the vehicle to slip off the jack and cause serious personal
injuries.
• Do not loosen the wheel bolts more than one turn before you
raise the vehicle with the jack. -Risk of injury!
[ i ] Tips
• Never try and use the hexagonal socket in the handle of the
screwdriver to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.
• If a wheel bolt sits very tight, you may find it easier to loosen by
carefully pushing down on the end of the wheel bolt wrench with
one foot only . As you do, hold on to the car to keep yourself stable
and take care not to slip.•
Raising the vehicle
The vehicle must be lifted with the jock first before the
wheel con be removed.
N
"' ~ I
"' al
Fig . 219 Wheel
change : mounting
points for the lifting
jack Fig
. 220 Close-up:
proper positioning of
lifting jack
- Position the jack below the door sill under the mounting
point
that is closest to the wheel to be changed
~ fig. 219.
- Turn the
jack handle clockwise until the jack arm just fits
underneath the rib running along the underbody
~ &,.
- Align the jack so that the jack arm claw~ fig. 220 @fits
snugly around the underbody rib and the movable base
plate ® sits flat on the ground.
- Wind the jack up further until the flat wheel comes off the
ground~ &-
Recesses at the front and rear of the underbody rib mark the proper
mounting locations for the jack => fig. 219. There is only one desig­
nated jack mounting point for each wheel. Do not apply the jack
anywhere else=>& .
The jack should be positioned approximately 6 in. (15 cm) behind
the front wheel or 10 in. (25 cm) in front of the rear wheel.
An
unstable surface under the jack can cause the vehicle to slip off
the jack . Always provide a firm base for the jack on the ground. If
necessary place a sturdy board or similar support under the jack. On
hard, slippery surfaces (such as tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to
prevent the jack from slipping=>& . .,,