inflation pressure AUDI A4 SEDAN 2013 Owners Manual

A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­dows, the sunroof 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 es­
pecially with the rear lid left open . A
child could crawl into the vehicle through
the luggage compartment and close the
rear lid becoming trapped and unable to
get out. Being trapped in a vehicle can
lead to serious personal injury.
- Never let children play in or around the
vehicle .
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must
always be properly restrained in one of
the vehicle's seating positions.
(D Tips
- 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
c>poge234.
Driving Safely
Tie-downs
The luggage comportment is equipped with
four tie-downs to secure luggage and other
items .
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo prop­
erly
c> page 132, Loading the luggage com ­
portment .
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi­
cle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle possess en­
ergy which vary with vehicle speed and the
weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the most
significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10-lb (4.5 kg) object are about 20 times the
normal weight of the item . This means that
the weight of the item would suddenly be
about 200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the
injuries that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying
freely through the passenger compartment
could cause in a collision like this.
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 personal injury.
- Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help pre­
vent items from shifting or flying for­
ward as dangerous missiles.
- When the rear seat backrest is folded
down, always use suitable mounting
straps and properly secure items to the
tie-downs in the luggage compartment
to help prevent items from flying for­
ward as dangerous missiles into the pas­
senger compartment .
- Never attach a child safety seat tether
strap to a tie-down .
133
•
•

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have bee n dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those standard items wh ich may be rep laced)
of automati c transmission, power steering,
power br akes, power wi ndows, power sea ts,
radio, and heater, to the ex tent that these
items are avai lab le as factory -installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to the w idt h of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
d icate a low sidewall fo r improved s teer ing re­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means the pa rt of the t ire that is made of
s teel wires, wrapped or re inforced by ply cor ds
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Cold t ir e infl ation pr essure
means the tire pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a t ire of a designated
size that has not been dr iven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire pressure i s measu red or adjusted.
Tire s an d wheel s 231
-If you notice un usua l vibration or if the
veh icle pulls to one side when driv ing, a l­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
Curb weight
mea ns the weight of a motor ve hicle w ith
standard equipment includ ing t he maximum
capa city of fuel, o il, and coolant, ai r cond i­
tion ing a nd addi tional weig ht o f optiona l
equipment .
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
respondi ng s tanda rd tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "X L", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", o r
"R F" on the sidewall .
Gross Axle Weight Rating ( "GAWR ")
mea ns the load-carrying capacity of a single
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in­
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded we ight of
t h e ve hicle.
Groo ve
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs.
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load tha t a t ire is rated
to carry for a given inflation pressure. Yo u
may not find this information on all tires be­
ca use it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
me ans the load r ating for a tire at the maxi­
mum pe rm issi ble inflat ion pressure for that
ti re .
•
•
...

232 Tires and wheels
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressu re
to which a tire may be inflated. Also called
"maximum inflation p ressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the
number of occupants seated in the vehicle up
to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter means the overa ll diameter of an inf lated 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.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the comb ined weight of those installed
regular production options weighing over 5
lbs . (2 .3 kg) in excess of those standard items
which they replace, not previously considered
in curb weight or accessory weight, including
heavy duty brakes, r ide leve lers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tir e in which the p ly cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan­
tially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread . Recommended inflation pressure
see
~
page 231, Cold tire inflation pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a t ire design to operate at higher loads
and at h igher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standard tire. Reinforced tires
may be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD",
o r "R F" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a t ire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Rim diameter
means nom inal d iameter of the bead seat. If
you change your wheel s ize, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the new rim 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
t read and bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is designed to
be driven for extended periods of time. The
ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h)
~ page 242. You may
not find this information on all tires because
it is not requ ired by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applica­
ble , is molded on the tire sidewall and indi­
cates the max imum perm issible road speeds
~ A in Winter tires on page 246.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
means a system that detects when one or
more of a veh icle's tires are underinflated and
illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell­
tale.

234 Tires and wheels
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
Fig. 174 Tire pressure label: located on driver's side B·
pillar
Tire pressure genera lly refers to the amount
of air i n a tire that it needs it to do its job and
safely carry the combined load of the entire
vehicle and its contents. Tire pressure is measured in kilopasca ls (kPa), the inte rna·
tional measuring unit and in pounds pe r
squa re inch ( PSI). Tire pressure is based in
pa rt o n the vehicle's desig n an d load limit­
the greatest amount of weight that the vehi ·
cle can car ry safe ly and the tir e size . The prop·
er tire pressure is freq uent ly referred to as the
"recommended cold tire inflation pressure."
A ir in the tires expands when the tire heats up
because of internal frict ion when it flexes in
use . The t ire p ress ure is higher when the tire
h as warmed up than when i t is "cold ." It is the
in flat io n pressu re i n a "cold" tire that coun ts.
Th erefore, you sho uld neve r let air ou t of a
warm tire to match " co ld tir e infla tion pres­
sure" recommendations . The ti res wo uld then
be un derinflated and could fail su ddenly.
M ain taining p roper t ire pr es su re is one o f the
most impo rtan t thi ngs you can do to he lp
avoid sudden tire failure. Underinfla ted ti res
a re a major ca use of s udden tire failure. Keep­
ing tires at the right pressure is also impor­
tant for safe and responsive vehicle handling,
traction, braking and load carrying .
Tire pres­
sures are particularly important when th e
vehicle is being driven at higher speeds , and
then especially when heavily loaded even
within the permissible load -carrying capaci ­
tie s approved for your vehicle .
------------------.. ,;
•(=~: I : I :,.. I)@ ~
The~-----~---w-o- ....... -e.....i -·· - ­u ........ -.-..,.0, ... -....,.,...tot~---....... ._.,. -..
....
-..... ...........
- KPA. a PSI
- KPA.
a PSI
-KPA. a PSI
Fig. 17 5 Tire pressure la bel
SU OWNER'S MANUAl FOR AD0"10NAL l10N VOl!ILEMANU£1. DU _,...,
POUR Pl.US DE
REHSEKi.\'IEME NTS
The recommended tire pressures for your Audi
depend on the kind of tires on your ve hicle
and the numbe r of passengers and/or amount
of luggage you w il l be transporting .
The tire pressure label is located on the driv­
er's si de B-pillar . T he tire pressure label lists
t h e recommended cold tir e inflat io n pressu res
for the vehicle at its maxim um capac ity
we ight and tires that were on your veh icle at
t h e time it was man ufa ctu red.
If you wish to improve comfort when operat­
ing the vehicle at normal load (up to 3 occu­
pants), you can adjust tire pre ssure s to tho se
specified for normal vehicle load. Before op­
erating the vehicle at maximum load, you
mu st increase the tire pres sures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
c::> .&, .
Bear in mind that the tire pressure mon itor ing
system * can o nly mo nitor the t ire pres sures
yo u have s to red. The sys tem does n ot recog­
nize the load condition of your vehicle.
T he effectivene ss of the t ire p ress ure monito r­
ing system* w ill be impa ired if yo u st ore nor­
m al lo ad press ures but t hen opera t e the ve hi­
cl e a t its ma ximum load
c::> .&. .
See the ill ustration c::> fig. 17 4 for the lo cat ion
o f the label o n driver's side B-pill ar (col or o f
t h e actu al lab el and exac t lo cat ion on the ve­
hicle will vary sligh tly).
Note t hat the f ollowing ta ble is ac curate at
th e time of goi ng to press and i s sub ject to

Tires and wheels 235
change. In the event of discrepancies, the tire
pressure label is located on the driver's side B­
p ill ar a lways takes precedence.
The table below lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the Audi model
I Model II Tire designation
covered by your Owner 's Literature at the vehi­
cle's capacity weight and the tire sizes instal­
led on the respective models as orig inal
equipment, or as a factory option.
Tire pressure
Engine normal load condition full load condition
(up to 3 occupants)
front rear
front rear I
PSI Jl kPA PSI Jl kPA PSI Jl kPA
PSI ll kPA
A4 sedan: 225/55 R16 95H
2.0 liter All Season
4-cylinder
245/45 R17 95H
All Season
245/40 R18 93V
High Performance
225/50 Rl 7 94H
All Season
245/40 R18 93H
All Season
255 /35 R19 96V XL
I High Performance
S4 sedan: 245/40 R18 93H
3.0 liter All Season
6-cylinder
245/40 R18 93Y
High Performance
255/35 R19 96V XL
High Performance
32 220
32 220
32 220 33 230
33 230
32
220
36 250
39 270
--. -
39
270 29
200 33 230 35 240
'
29 200 33 230 35 240
J
29 200 33 230 35 240
'
30 210 35 2
40 36 250
32 220 36 250 38 260
30 210 35 240 35 240
I
32
220 41 280 41 280
35 240 41 280 41 280
. -. -
33 230 41 280 41 280
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side·
wall.
The correct tire pressure for the spore wheel is
l ocated on a label on the driver's side 8-pillar.
Because technical changes may be made to
vehicle equipment during the model year, a l­
ways compare the tire size designation on the
tire p ressure label on your vehicle with the
tires on your vehicle. Make sure that the tire
size information on the vehicle label is the
same as the size of the t ires on the vehicle .
This is especially important if the vehicle be­
longs to someone else or you bought the veh i­
cle with different rims/tires or you bought the
vehicle as a previously owned vehicle. Remember, your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on making sure that load limits are not exceeded . Veh icle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
vehicle . These load limits are technically refer­
red to as the veh icle 's Gross Vehicle Weight
Rat ing ("GVWR") . The Gross Axle We ight Rat­
ing (" GAWR") is the maximum load that can
be applied at each of the vehicle 's two axles.
T he Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance sticker label located on the
driver's side 8-pillar. The tire pressure label on
your Audi lists the maximum combined .,.
•
•

236 Tires and wheels
weight of all of the occupants and luggage or
other cargo that the vehicle can carry. For the
location of the tire pressure label¢
fig. 174.
_& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
hicle control, a crash or other accident, se­
rious personal injury, and even death .
- Carrying more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­
crease the risk of a loss of vehicle con­
tro l.
- The brakes on a veh icle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
vehicle within a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been overload­
ed can fail suddenly causi ng loss of con­
tro l and a crash.
- Always make sure that the total load be­
ing transported -including the we ight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehi­
cle heavier than the vehicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.
A WARNING
-Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can lead to a serious or fatal acci­ dent.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation cause increased tire wear and can
affect the handling of the vehicle.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can also lead to sudden tire fa il­
ure, including a blowout and sudden de­
flation, causing loss of vehicle control.
Checking tire pressure
-
The correct tire pressure for the tires original­
ly installed on your vehicle is listed on the tire
pressure label located on driver's side 8-pil­
lar .
The recommended tire pressures are on the
tire pressure label and in the table
¢ page 234, Cold tire inflation pressure .This
means that the pressure m ust be checked and
adjusted when the tire has not been driven for
more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at
low speeds during the previous three hours.
Air in the tires expands when the tire heats up
as a result of internal frict ion as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire
has warmed up than when it is "co ld ."
It is the inflation pressure in a "cold" tire that
counts. Therefore, you should never let a ir out
of a warm tire to match "Cold t ire inflat ion
pressure" recommendations ¢
page 234. The
tires would then be underinflated and could
fail suddenly .
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the
recommended cold tire inflation pressures at
maximum capacity for the new, original
equipmen t tires that were on your vehicle at
the time it was manufactured. For the loca­
tion of the labe l
¢page 234, fig. 174.
Most tires lose air naturally over t ime. They
can also lose some air if yo u drive over a pot­
hole or hit a curb while parking. It is usually
not possible to see whether the radial tires
used today are underinflated just by looking
at them.
T here fore, be sure to check ti re pressures at
least once a month and a lways before going
on a long trip . Make sur e to take the number
of peop le and the amount of luggage into ac­
count when adjust ing tire pressure for a trip -
even one that you would not consider to be
"long ." See ¢
page 238, Tires and vehicle
load limits
for more important information .
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge
when checking and adjusting inflat ion pres­
sures. Check all of the tires and be sure not to
forget the spare tire.
If the pressure in any tire
i s too h igh when the tire is "cold", let air out
of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep check ing the pressure until
you reach the pressure that is correct for the
load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you plan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the
difference between the pressure in the cold .,..

tire and the pressure you need and add the a ir
that you need to reach the correct pressure for
the vehicle load (passengers and luggage) for
the tires on your vehicle as listed on the on
your veh icle and in this manual and the kind
of dr iving you plan to do .
Never ex ceed the ma ximum infl ation pres­
su re list ed on the t ire s ide wall for an y rea­
son.
Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not
the t ire manufacturer, determ ines the correct
tire pressure for the t ires on your vehicle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when
the tires are cold.
- Read the req uired ti re press ure from the tire
pressure label. The tire pressu re labe l is lo­
cated on the drive r's side 8 -p ill ar . The tire
pressure label lists the recommended cold
t ire 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 t ire pressures
for normal load condit ions, please see chap­
ter ¢
page 234.
- Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise
to remove it from the tire valve .
- Place the air pressure gauge on the valve.
- The tire pressures should only be checked
and adjusted when the tires are cold. The
slightly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced.
- Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are
carrying.
- Re install the valve stem cap on the valve.
When should I ch eck th e tir e pre ssure?
The correct tire pressure is especially impor­
tant at high speeds . The pressure should
therefore be checked at least once a month
and always before start ing a journey. Do not
forget to check the tire pressure for the spare
wheel.
Wh en should I adjust th e tire p re ss ures ?
Ad just the tire pressure to the load you are
carry ing . After changing a wheel
or replacing
Tires an d wheel s 237
whee ls you have to adjust the ti re pressu res
on all whee ls. In addition, yo u m ust then initi­
a lize the new tire pressures in the t ire pres­
sure monitoring system*¢
page 248.
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinfla­
tion can lead sudden tire fa ilure, loss of
control, collision, serious personal injury
or even death.
- When the
ti] warning symbol appears in
the instrument cluster, stop and inspect
the t ires.
- Inco rrect tire pressure and/or underinfla­
tion can cause increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability.
- Inco rrect tire pressures and/or unde rin­
flation can a lso lead to sudden t ire fail­
ure, including a blowou t and sudden de­
f lation, caus ing loss of veh icle contro l.
- The drive r is responsib le for the correct
tire pressures for all tires on the veh icle.
The applicable pressure values are locat ­
ed on a sticke r on the driver's side 8-pil­
lar.
- On ly when all tires on the vehicle are fil ­
led to the correct pressure, the tire pres­
sure mon itor ing system* can work cor­
rectly.
- The use of incorrect tire pressu re va lues
can lead to acc idents or other damage.
Therefore it is essential that the driver
observe the spec ified t ire pressure values
for the t ires and the correct pressures for
the function of the t i re p ress ure monito r­
ing system*.
- Always inf late t ires to the recommended
and correct t ire p ressure before dr iv ing
off.
- Driving with unde rinflated tires bend
mo re, lett ing t hem get too hot resulting
in tre ad separation, sudden tire failure
and loss of cont rol.
- Excessive speed and/overloading can
cause heat b uild- up, sudden tire failure
and loss of cont rol.
•
•

-Always make sure that the total load be­
ing transported - including the weight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehi­
cle heav ier than the vehicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to cal­
culate the total weight of the
passengers and luggage or oth­
er things that you plan to trans­
port so that you can make sure
that your vehicle will not be
overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OC­
CUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX LBS"on your vehi­
cle's placard (tire inflation pressure label)
¢ page 234,
fig. 174.
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 pas­ sengers from
"XXX" kilo­
grams or
"XXX" pounds
Tires and wheels 239
shown on the sticker
¢ page 234, fig. 174.
4. The resulting figure equals
the available amount of car­
go and luggage load capaci­
ty. For example, if the
"XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs.
and there will be five
150
lbs. passengers in your vehi­
cle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load ca­
pacity is
650 lbs. (1400-7 50
(5
X 150) = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step
4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your trail­
er will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual
to determine how this re­ duces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
.,. Check the tire sidewall
(¢ page 241, fig. 178) to de­
termine the designated load rating for a specific tire.
•
•
'

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)
1
)
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)1
)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)1
)
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)1>
Your vehicle is no rma lly facto ry equipped with
tires, which possess excellent driving cha rac­
ter istics and give yo ur Audi opt imum driving
comfort . An e lectronic speed limiter
¢ page 31 wi ll normally prevent your vehicle
from going faster than the tire speed rating
¢ A .
U.S. DOT Tir e Identification Numbe r (TIN )
a nd tir e m anufactur e date
This is the t ire's "serial number". It begins
with the letters "DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it
was manufactured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year of manufacture .
F or example, the numbers 2212 mean that
the t ire was produced in the 22nd wee k of
20 12. The othe r numbe rs a re mar ke ting co­
des that may or may not be used by the tire
manufacturer . This information is used to con­
tact consumers if a tire defect requires a re ­
call.
Audi Original tir e
Tires with the identi fication "AO" or "RO" have
been specia lly matched with your Audi . We
recommend using only t hese tires because
they meet the highest standards regard ing
safety and driving character istics when used
correctly . You r authorized Audi dealer will
g lad ly provide you with more information .
Tire ply composition and materi als used
The number of plies indicates the n umber of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire. In
ll For tires w it h a max imum spee d capa bility over
1 4 9 mp h (2 40 k m/h ), t ire man ufact urers somet imes
u se the lette rs "ZR ."
Tire s an d wheel s 243
genera l, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support . Tire manufac­
turers also must indicate the materials in the
tire, which include steel, nylon, po lyester, and
others.
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in
ki lograms and pounds that can be carr ied by
the tire.
Tir e quality grading for treadwear ,
tract ion, and temp eratu re resis tance
T read wear, t raction and temperat ure grades
¢ page 244.
Ma ximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the g reatest amount of a ir
pressure that should ever be put in the tire
u nder normal driving conditions.
A WARNING ~
- Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/
or wheels or improper tire and wheel
comb inat ions can lead to loss of control,
col lis ion and serious personal injury.
-Always use t ires, rims and whee l bolts
that meet the specif ications of original
factory- installed tires or other combina­
tions that have been specifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manufacture r.
- T ires age even if they are not being used
and can fai l sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tir es that are more than 6 yea rs
old can only be used in an emergency
a nd then w ith speci al care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mo unt used tires on your veh icle if
you are not sure of the ir "previous histo­
ry." O ld used tires may have been dam ­
aged even thoug h the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire fai lure
and loss of vehicle control.
•
•

driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sary . Follow the instructions from the
snow cha in manufacturer when doing so.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer ­
tain roads, this norma lly also applies to
veh icles with all wheel drive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque.
The design o f whee l bolts is matched to the
factory insta lled r ims . If different rims are fit ­
ted, the correct wheel bo lts wit h the right
l ength and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. This ensures that wheels are f itted
securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
In certain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bo lts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model
<=> page 274.
A WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel
bolts can become loose caus ing loss of
cont ro l, a co llision and serious persona l in­
Jury .
- Always keep the w heel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clea n so the
w hee l bolts can t urn easily and be p rop­
erly t igh tened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the wheel h ubs. They can
become loose wh ile d riving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specified
torq ue.
- Only use whee l bo lts that belong to the
rim being installed .
- Never use different whee ls bolts on your
vehicle.
- Alw ays m ain ta in the co rrec t tig hten ing
torq ue fo r the wheel bo lts to reduce the
risk of a wheel loss . If the tightening tor­
que of the wheel bo lts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi-
Tire s an d wheel s 24 7
cle is mov ing. If the tightening torq ue is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads
can be damaged and the whee l can be­
come loose.
@ Note
The specified torque for the whee l bolts is
90 ft lbs . (120 Nm) w ith a tolerance of
± 7,4 ft lbs. (± 10 Nm). Torque whee l bolts
diagonally . After changi ng a wheel, the
torque m ust be checked as soon as poss i­
ble with a to rque wrench -preferably by an
a uthorized Aud i dea le r or qualified wor k­
shop.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your A udi is fac tory -eq uipped w ith low aspect
ratio tires . These tires have been tho ro ughly
tested and been se lected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road fee l
and handling under a variety of driving condi­
tions . Ask your authorized Aud i dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is ind icated
by a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size
designation. The numera l represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relation to its
tread width exp ressed in percentage. Conven­
tiona l tires have a he ight/w idth ratio of 60 or
more.
The performance of low-a spect-r atio tire s is
particularly sensit ive to improper inflation
pre ssure. It is therefor e important that low
a spect ratio tire s are inflated to the specified
pres sure and that th e inflation pr essure i s
regularly checked and maintained. Tire pre s­
sure s should be chec ked at lea st once a
month and always before a long trip
<=> page 236, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avo id tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged mo re
easily by impact w ith potholes, curbs, gull ies
or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is
under inflated . ..,.
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