tires AUDI A5 COUPE 2011 User Guide

Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in pla ce to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer => & in "Driving instruc­
tions" on
page 252.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harde r. It is important that
the cooling system's performance 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 load" on the label located either on the
dr iver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec­
ifications.
Lights
The headl ight settings should be checked w ith the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to p revent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Driving instruct!ons
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avo id the r isk of losing steer ing control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. Th is means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
wh ile keeping the trailer as light as possible under the c ircumstances.
Whenever possible, trans fer some cargo to the luggage compart ­
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
Th e higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icularly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately i f the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating. _,

-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d__. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
0 Note
• Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this could scratch your
vehicle's paint or windows.
• Never wash your car in bright sunlight. Drops of water act as
magnifying lenses and may damage your paint.
• When you wash your car in the winter: if you rinse your vehicle with
a hose, be careful not to aim the stream of water directly at locks, or
at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges designed to remove insects, or any kitchen
scouring sponges or similar products. They can damage your paint
finish.
• You should remove debris (such as insects) from the headlight
lenses on a regular basis, for example when refueling your vehicle .
Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean the headlights. Only use wet
cloths or sponges to prevent scratches .
It is best to use soapy water.
<£> For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the vehicle should only be washed
in special wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high-pressure
power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple
rules.
- Before using the power washer, make sure you have read
and understood the WARNINGS=>
& in "General infor­
mation" on
page 256 .
- Always follow the operating instructions for the power
washer. -
Make sure that the jet on the spray hose produces a "fan
shaped spray".
- Do
not hold the spray nozzle too close to soft materials.
When cleaning the vehicle with a power washer always follow the
operating instructions. This applies particularly to the
operating
pressure
and the spraying distance . Maintain a sufficient distance to
soft materials such as rubber hoses and sound/vibration deadening
materials (particularly on the underside of the engine hood). Do not
use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that has a
rotating jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140
°F (60 °() .
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream.
This could cause invisible damage to the tires and weaken them,
even if the spray is from a relatively long distance and for a short
time. Damaged and weakened tires can fail and cause accidents
and personal injury.
0 Note
To avoid damaging your vehicle, always make sure that there is suffi­cient distance between the spray head and soft materials like rubber
hoses , plastic parts and sound-deadening materials. Never aim the
spray head at the same point for a long time. This also applies to
cleaning headlights and painted bumpers. Remember: the closer the
nozzle is to the surface of the material, the greater the stress on the
material. •

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Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused
parts of a motor vehicle.
T ir es may be the least appreciated and most abused pa rts of a motor
vehicle . Tires are, however, one of the most important parts of a
vehicle , pa rticul arly conside ring the comparat ive ly small patch of
rubber on eac h tire that assures that all-important contact between
you, your veh icle and the road.
Maintai ning t he cor rect tire pressu re, mak ing su re that your veh icle
and i ts tires do not have to carry more weight t han they can safely
hand le, avoid ing damage from road ha za rds and regularly inspecting
tires for damage includ ing cuts, s lashes irregular wea r and ove rall
condi tion a re the mos t important th ings that you can do to help avoid
sudden t ire failure including tread separation and blowouts.
Avoiding damage
If you have to d rive ove r a cur b or sim ilar obstacle, d rive very slowly
and as close as possible at a rig ht angle to the curb .
Always keep chemicals incl ud ing grease, oil, gaso line and brake f luid
o ff t he t ires .
Ins pect the ti res regularly for damage (cu ts, cracks o r blisters, e tc.) .
Remove any foreign bodies embe dded in the treads.
Storing tires
M ark tires w hen yo u remove t hem to indica te t he d ire ct io n of rota ­
tion . This ensures you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
re insta ll them.
Whe n removed, t he wheels or tires should be sto red in a cool, dry and
preferably da rk p lace.
Safety first
Store tires in a v ertica l pos it io n if they a re not mount ed on rims, in a
hor izonta l posit ion if they are mounted on r ims.
New tires
N ew tires have to be broken in~ & .
Th e tre ad d epth of new ti res may v ary, accor ding t o th e type an d
make of t ire and the tread pattern .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readi ly visible. If yo u notice
unu sual vib ra ti on o r the ve hicle pulls to one side, t his may in dica te
that one of the t ires has been damaged. The tires must be checked
im media tely by an auth oriz ed A ud i d eale r or qual ifie d wor ks hop.
Unidirectional tires
A un id irectional tire can be identified by arrows o n th e sidewall , th at
point in the direct ion the t ire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
t he s peci fied dire ction o f ro tat io n . This is neces sary so t hat t hese
tires can deve lop their optimum cha racte ristics regard ing g rip, road
noise, we ar an d hy dropl aning res ist an ce. F o r more informat ion
~page 321 .
& WARNING
New tires or tires that are old , worn or damaged cannot provide
maximum control and braking ability.
• New tires tend to be slippery and must also be broken-in . To
reduce the risk of losing control, a collision and serious personal
injuries , drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km).
• Driving with worn or damaged tires can lead to loss of control,
sudden tire failure , including a blowout and sudden deflation ,
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately. _..
Vehicle care Technical data

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
& WARNING (conti nu ed )
• Tire s age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 year s old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at low
s peed .
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined we ight (in excess of those sta nda rd items which
may be rep lace d) of automatic transmission, power steering, power
bra kes, powe r w indows , power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent
that these items are avai lab le as factory- installed equipment
(w het he r i nsta lled or no t).
Aspect ratio
me ans the ratio of t he he ight to t he w id th of the tir e in percent .
Numbe rs of 55 o r lower indicate a low sidewa ll for improved steer ing
respo nse an d be tter overa ll handling on dry p avemen t.
Bead
means the part o f the tire that is made of stee l w ires , wrap ped o r
re in forced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a brea kdown of the bon d between components in the bead .
Cord
means the st rands forming the plies in the tire.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous hi story ." Old used tires may have been damaged
eventhoughthedamagecannotbeseenthatcanleadtosudden
tire failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unu sual vibration or if the vehicle pull s to one side
when driving, alway s stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage. •
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle ma nufa cturer
for a tire of a des ignated size t hat has not been driven for more than
a couple of m iles ( kilomete rs) a t low speeds in the t hree ho ur period
before the tire pressure is measured or ad justed.
Curb weight
mea ns the weig ht of a motor vehicle wit h standard equ ipment
including the max imum cap aci ty of f ue l, oil, and coo lan t, air condi ­
tioning and additiona l weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loa ds and at higher inflation
pressures than the co rrespo nd ing standard tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewal l.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ( "GAWR ")
means the load -ca rry ing capacity of a s ingle ax le system, measured at
t he t ire-grou nd inte rfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
means the max imum total loaded we ight of the vehicle .

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Groove
means the spa ce between two ad jacen t tread ribs .
Load rating (code)
mea ns the max imu m load th at a tir e is ra te d to c arry fo r a give n infla­
tion pressure. You may not find this information on all t ires beca use
i t is no t required by law .
Maximum load rat ing
me ans the load r ati ng for a t ire at th e maxi mum p ermis sib le in flation
pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weig ht
(c) Vehicle ca pacity we ight, and
(d) Pro duct ion op tions weigh t
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the m aximu m cold infla tio n pr essur e to whi ch a t ire may be
inflated . Also called "maximum inflat ion press ure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 k ilog rams) times t he num ber of occupants seate d
in t he vehi cle up to the total sea ting cap aci ty of yo ur vehicl e.
Occupant distribution
means d is tribut ion of occ upan ts i n a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the ove rall d iameter of an inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance betwee n the exter iors of the s idewalls of
a n in flated tire, in cludi ng eleva tions due to la beling, dec ora tions, o r
protective bands or ribs.
Safety first
Ply
means a layer o f rubbe r-coate d para llel co rds.
Production options we ight
me ans the co m bine d we ight of tho se in stalled regu lar pr oduction
options weighi ng over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of t hose standard
i t ems w hic h they replace, not previously considere d in c urb we igh t o r
accessory weight, includ ing heavy duty brakes , ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty battery, and s pecial tr im.
Radial ply tire
me ans a pneuma tic tir e in wh ich the pl y cords that extend to t he
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
t rea d.
Recommended inflation pressure
see => page 292, "C old tire in fla tion pr essu re".
Reinforced tire
mea ns a t ire desig n to operate at h ig her loads and at h igher i nflat io n
pressures tha n the corresponding standard tire . Re inforced tires may
be iden tifi ed as " XL", "x l", "E X TR A LOA D", or "RF " on t he sidew all.
Rim
means a metal suppo rt fo r a tire or a tire and tube assemb ly up on
wh ic h the t ire beads are seated.
Rim diameter
means nom inal d iameter of the bead seat . If you change yo ur whee l
si ze, yo u w ill have to purchase new tires to ma tc h the new r im diam­
eter .
Rim size designation
means r im diamete r and width.
Rim width
mea ns nom inal dis tance be twee n rim flanges.
Vehicle care Technical data

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread 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 304. You may not find this information on
all tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is mo lded on the tire
sidewall and indicates the maximum permissible road speeds=>
& in
"Winter tires" on
page 307.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires are
unde rinflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning te lltale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the princ ipal grooves designed to give a
visual ind ication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See=>
page 301,
"Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on measuring
tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire informat ion system developed by the United States National
H ighway Traff ic Safety Adm inistration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buye rs make relative 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 (ki lometers) or perform in a certain way . It simp ly
gives tire buyers additional information to combine with other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dea ler recommenda­
tions. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature
resistance. The UTQG
info rmat ion on the tires, molded into the sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire 's "serial numbe r". It beg ins with the letters "DOT" and
ind icates that the tire meets all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters ind icate the plant where it was manufactu red, and
the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufacture.
For examp le,
DOT ... 2209 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22nd week of 2009. The
o ther numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
the t ire manufacturer. Th is informat ion is used to contact consumers
if a tire defect requires a recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and l uggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle 's total seating capacity as listed on the label located
either on the driver's side B-pillar or on the ins ide of the fu el filler
flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib­
ut ing to each axle its share of the max imum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib­
ut ing to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight, and
normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with tab le below
=>
page 295) and dividing by two. ~

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Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seat ing capacities
Designated seating capacity, num- Vehicle normal load , number of Occupant distribution in a nor­
mally loaded vehicle
ber
of occupants occupants
4 2 2 in front •
Co ld tire inf lation pressure
Tire pr essur e aff ects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
F ig . 2 12 Tire pre ssure
label : loca te d e ithe r on
drive r's s ide B -pillar or
i ns ide th e fuel fille r
flap
Tire pressure generally refers to the amount of air in a tire that it
nee ds it to do its job and safe ly ca rry the combi ned load of t he en tire
vehicle and its contents. Tire pressure is measured in kilopascals
(kPa), the inte rn ational measuri ng un it and in pou nds per square i nch
(PSI) . Tire pressure is based in part on the ve hicle's design and load
limit -the greatest amount of weight that the vehicle can ca rry safe ly
and the t ire size . The proper tire pressure is frequent ly refe rred to as
the "recommended cold t ire inflation pressure ." Air in t he tires
expands when the t ire hea ts up because of i nternal fric tion whe n it
flexes in use . The tire press ure is higher when the ti re has warmed up
t han whe n it is "cold."
It is the inflat io n pr essu re in a "co ld" t ire that
counts. The refore, you sho uld never let air out of a warm t ire to
match "cold ti re infla tion pressure" recommendations . The t ires
would then be under inflated and could fail suddenly.
Vehicle OP-eration
(.
~ ( SEATING CAPACllY JOTAL l:FRONT l:CENTER I )!EAR I )
TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION
Tot--""'91"dOCC10-,ndQ,gc>"""-"1 ___ "90<- lb$.
TIRE SIZE COW TIRE PRESSURE
FRONT -KPa, - PSI
REAR -KPa, -PSI
Fig . 213 Tire pres sure
label
Ma intain ing proper tire pressure is one of the most important things
you can do to he lp avoid sudde n tir e f ailur e. Under infl ated tires a re a
major cause of sudden tire fa ilure. Keep ing t ires at the rig ht pressure
is a lso important for s afe and responsive vehi cle ha nd ling, tractio n,
braking and load carrying.
Tire pressures are particularly important
when the vehicle is being driven at higher speeds , and then e spe·
cially when heavily loaded even within the permissible load­
carrying capacities approved for your vehicle .
The recommended tire pressures for your Audi depend on the kind of
ti res on your vehicle and the numbe r of passengers and/or amou nt of
l u ggage you will be transpo rting .
On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the d river 's side
8 -pi lla r. O n Ca nada vehi cles, the tire pressure label is located either
on t he driver's side 8- pilla r o r i nside the f uel filler flap . The tire pres ·
s u re labe l lists the recommended co ld tire inflation press ures for the ..,.
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were on your
vehicle at the tim e it was manufactured.
If you wish to improve comfort when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 3 occupants) , you can adjust tire pressures to
those specified for normal vehicle load. Before operating the
vehicle at maximum load, you must increase the tire pressures to
those specified for maximum vehicle load
=> &.
Bear in mind that the tire pressure monitoring system* ca n only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored. The system does not
recogn ize the load condit ion of your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system* wi ll be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehicle at its maximum load
=> &.
See the illustration => page 295, fig. 212 for the locat ion of the label
either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap (color of the
actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slightly).
Note that the following tab le is accurate at the time of going to press
and is subject to change. In the event of discrepancies, the tire pres­
sure label (On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the
dr iver's side B-pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is
located e ither on the driver's s ide B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap)
always takes precedence.
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi model covered by your Owner's Literature at the vehicle's
capacity weight and the tire sizes installed on the respective models
as origina l equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine
(displace­ ment in liter) Tire designation
Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
normal load normal load
condition (up full load condition
(up
full load
to 2 occu- condition to 2 occu- condition pants) pants)
PSI Jl kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI II kPA
4-cylinder 225/50 Rl 7 94H All Season 32 220 33 230 29 200 33 230
2.0
245/45 Rl 7 95H All Season 32 220 33 230 29
200 33 230
245/40 R18
93H All Season 33 230 35 240 29 200 35 240
255/35 R19 96V XL High Performance 32 220 33 230 32 220 33 230
265/30 R20 94Y XL High Performance 30 210
33 230 29 200
33 230
XL=
reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xi, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire sidewall.
The correct tire pressure for the spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver's s ide B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
Beca use technica l changes may be made to vehicle equipment during
the model year, always compare the tir e s ize designation on the tir e
pressure 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 tires on the vehicle. This is especially important if the
vehicle belongs to someone e lse or you bought the vehicle with
different rims/tires or you bought the veh icle as a previous ly ow ned
vehicle. _.,,

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Remember, your safety and t hat o f your passengers also depends o n
making sure th at load limit s are not exc ee ded . V ehicle load in cludes
every body and everything in a nd on the veh icl e. These load limits are
tec hnically refer red to as t he ve hicle's G ross Vehicle Weight Rating
("G VWR") . The Gross Axle Weight Rat ing ("GA WR") is th e max imum
load that can be a pplied at each of the ve hicle's two ax les. The Gross
Vehicle Weigh t Rating and the G ross Ax le W eig ht R ating are listed on
the safety comp liance st ic ker label located either on the driver's side
B -pillar or on t he inside of th e f uel fi ller f lap. T he tire press ure label
on yo ur Audi lists the maximum comb ined weig ht of all of the occu­
p ants a nd lugg age o r othe r car go tha t t he ve hicl e c an ca rry . Fo r the
location of t he tire pressure label~
page 295, fig. 212.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident, serious personal 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 a 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 suddenly
causing loss of control and a crash.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressure s and/or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident .
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased
tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle .
Safety first
& WARNING (cont inued )
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control. •
Checking tire pressure
The cor rect t ire pres sure fo r the tires o rig inall y installed
on you r veh icle is list ed o n the t ire pr ess ure la bel l ocat ed
e ither on driver's s ide 8-pillar or insi de th e fue l fill er flop.
Th e recommended tire pressure s are on the tire pressur e l abe l and in
the table ~
page 295, "Cold tire inflation press ure" .This means that
t he pressure must be check ed an d a dju sted w hen the tire h as no t
been dr iven for more tha n a cou ple of m iles (k ilometers) at low
s peeds dur ing t he pr evious t hree hour s. Air in the tires ex pands w hen
t he tire heats up as a resu lt of i nterna l fric tion as it flexes in use. The
tire pressu re is hig he r when the t ire has warmed up than when it is
"cold ."
It is the in flation press ure in a "cold" t ire that counts. Therefore, yo u
sh oul d n eve r le t a ir ou t of a warm t ir e to ma tch "C old tire in flatio n
pressure" recommendations~
page 295. The t ires would then be
unde rin flat ed and co uld fail su ddenly.
Th e tire pressu re labe l on yo ur Audi lists t he recommended co ld t ire
inflation pressures at ma ximum capacity fo r th e new, o rigina l equip ­
me nt t ires that were on yo ur vehicl e at th e time it wa s manuf actured .
For the location of t he label ~
page 295, fig. 212.
M ost t ires lose air natura lly ove r time. T hey c an also lose some air if
you d rive over a potho le or hit a curb while pa rking . It is usually not
poss ible to see whether the radia l ti res used today are unde rinflate d
just by loo king at them .
T he refore, be sure to check t ire pressures at least once a month and
alw ay s before go ing on a lo ng trip. Make sure to take the num ber of
people and the amount of luggage into account whe n ad justing tire .,.
Vehicle care Technical data

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
pressure for a trip -even one that you would not consider to be
" long. " See =>
page 299, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
important information.
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and
adjusting inflation pressures. Check all of the tires and be sure not to
forget the spare tire. If the pressure in any tire is too high when the
tire is "cold ," let air out of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep checking 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 air
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 vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you plan to
do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason.
Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not the tir e manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the t ires on your veh icle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the tir e pressure label. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side 8-
pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either on
the driver 's side 8 -pillar or inside the fuel filler flap. The tire pressure
label lists the recommended cold t ire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its maximum capac ity weight and the tires that were on
your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For recommended tire
p ressures for normal load cond it ions, please see chapter
==> page 295.
• Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockw ise 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
ti res are cold . Th e slightly raised pressures of warm tires must not be
reduced .
• Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying .
• Reinstall the valve stem cap on the valve .
When should I check the tire pressure?
The correct tire pressure is especially important at high speeds . The
pressure shou ld therefore be checked at least once a month and
always before starting a journey . Do not forget to check the tire pres ­
sure for the spare wheel.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the t ire pressure to the load you are carrying . After chang ing a
wheel
or replacing whee ls you have to adjust the tire pressures on all
wheels. In addition, you must then initialize the new tire pressures in
the tire pressure monitoring system*=>
page 310.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure, loss of control, collision, serious personal injury or even
death.
• When the warning symbol appears in the instrument
cluster, stop and inspect the tires .
• Incorrect tire pressure and/or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control.
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pressure values are located on
a sticker on the driver's side B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap. .,_