ESP AUDI A5 COUPE 2012 Manual Online

228 Cleaning and protec tio n
8_ WARNING
So lvents can c hange the properties of
some plas tics and ma ke it ha rder for the
a irbag to deploy .
-
-Never clean the instrument panel or the
surface of airbag modules with cleaning
products that contain solvents .
- Products containing solvents w ill make
the surface of th is part porous.
- Serious injur ies can result if plastic parts
come loose when the airbag is deployed.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 221.
(D Note
Cleaning agents containing solvents will
attack the mater ial and can change the
way it behaves.
Natural leather
App lies to vehicles: with natura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties, natural look and feel of interior
leather.
General
We offer many different types of leather on
our veh icles. Most are different types of nappa
l eather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in var ious colors.
The intensity of the color determines the visu­ a l characteristics and appearance . If the sur­
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has
been left in a relatively natural cond ition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. F ine veins, closed g rains, insect
b ites, ski n folds , and subtle var iations in co lor
remain visible. These c haracte ris tics demon­
stra te that the mater ia l is na tural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or finish.
It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
ing and wear, w hich is something you need to
conside r if ch ild ren, anim als or othe r fa ctors
might p rove to be particular ly hard on the
leather . By cont
rast, leather types that are covered by
a colo red finish layer are more durab le . T his
has a positive effect on the leather's resist ­
ance to wear and soiling in dai ly use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ral leather a re barely or not apparent . Howev ­
er, th is does not mean that the leathe r itself
is of inferior quality .
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Audi uses and their unique prop­
erties (such as sensit ivity to oils, grease, soil­
i ng, etc.), you will need to be somewhat ca re­
ful with these leathers, and a ce rtain type of
ca re is req uired. Fo r example , da rk clothing
mater ials can dis co lor le athe r seats (especia l­
l y if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correct ly). Dust and dirt parti cles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect and can damage the leather surface as we ll as
wea ken seams.
The leather should be cleaned regularly as neede d. After having been used for a relatively
l ong time, your leather seats will acq uire a
rich aged fin ish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ural leather and a sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the val ue of this nat ural
product over the life of your veh icle, you
shou ld follow the recommendat ions be low:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from b leaching out,
do not allow it to be exposed to b right
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the ve hicle parked outside
for long per iods, cover the leather to
pro tect i t from direct expos ure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects o n cloth ing, such as z ip­
pers, rivets o r sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent s cratches or s crape
ma rk s on the s urfa ce o f th e leathe r.
(D Tips
-Aft er each time you clean the leather and
a t regular intervals, use a leathe r
1111>

preservative cream that contains UV­
blockers and that works into the leather .
This cream w ill nourish and mo istur ize
the leather, he lp ing it to breathe and
stay supple. It also helps to build up a
protective coating on the surface.
- Clean the leather every 2 - 3 months,
and clean any areas that get soiled.
- Remove fresh marks made by ballpoint pens, ink, lipst ick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as possib le.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need­
ed by using a special colored leather care
cream to touch up areas of uneven color.
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention.
Norm al cleaning
.,. Clean soiled areas w ith a slightly mo istened
cotton or woolen cloth.
Mor e stub born dir t
.,. More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
cloth saturated with a m ild soap so lution (2
tablespoons m ild liquid soap) .
.,. Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather, and make certa in that no water
soaks into the seams .
.,. Wipe off the soap solut ion with a soft, dry
cl oth.
Cleaning spots
.,. Remove fresh water -b ased spots (such as
coffee, tea, ju ices, blood) w ith an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.,. Remove fresh
gr eas e or oil -ba sed spot s
(such as b utter, mayon naise , chocolate) wi th
an absorbent cloth or paper towe l, or use
the cleaner from the leat her ca re kit i f the
spot has not yet penetrated into the s urface
of the leather .
.,. Use an oil/grease disso lv ing spray, if
oil /
grease spots h ave d ried on.
Cleaning and protec tion 229
.,. Remove specific k inds of spots (ba llpoint
pe n, fe lt marker, fingernai l polish, water­
based pa int, shoe po lish, etc .) with a spot
remover specifically formu lated for leather.
L e ather care
.,. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized Au ­
di dea ler) to care for the leather .
.,. App ly the product very sparingly.
.,. Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any q uestions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in yo ur vehicle, it is best
to contact your a uthorized Audi dea ler, who
will be g lad to help you and tell you about our
full range of leather care products, such as :
- Leather cleaning and care kit
- Creams to ca re fo r colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoin t pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease d issolving spray
- New and upcom ing products .
.&_ WARNING
Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other in formation
r::!) page 221 .
(D Note
- N ever use chem ica l so lvents (e .g . lighte r
fluid, tu rpe nti ne), waxes, s hoe polish o r
simi la r prod ucts on the lea ther surfaces
i n yo ur Audi .
- To avoid damage, have stubbo rn sta ins
remove d by a comme rcial clean ing spe­
c ialist .
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara® upholste ry
R emoving du st and dirt
.,. Mois ten a cloth, squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces .
Removing stains
.,. Moisten a cloth with lukewa rm wate r o r
w ith di luted
ethyl (rubbing ) alc ohol.
•
•

230 Cleaning and protec tio n
• Dab at the stain . Start at the outside and
work inwards .
• Once the stain is no longer visible, use a
soft dry cloth or t issue to soak up the mois­
ture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al­
cantara ®.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing
dust and dirt .
Dust and gr it in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
l eft standing in the sun for long periods, the
A lcantara ® should be protected against direct
sunlight to prevent it from fading. Slight color
variations will develop in normal use and are not an indication of material deterioration .
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces .
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commerc ial cleaning spe­
cia list.
- Do not use br ushes, stiff sponges or sim­
i larly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia ­
bly when needed.
• Keep be lts clean.
• For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol­
ution. Let be lts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
• Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
• Check the condition of your safety belts
reg­
ularly.
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can b reak in a crash . -
Anything that might damage your safety
be lts could mean that you and your pas­
sengers would not be adequately pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­
rect insta llation. Never remove be lts
from the veh icle to clean them .
- Do not use chemical clean ing agents,
bleach or dyes. They have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webb ing.
- When clean ing your safety belts, inspect
them for damage . If you discover dam­
age, see your authorized Audi dealer .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c> page 221.
' Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine comportment.
Alwa ys switch off the ign ition before cle an­
i ng the eng ine
c> .&, .
Plenum pan el
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front
of the windshield under the engine hood . This
prevents the water drain holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from enter ing
the vehicle interior through the heating and
ventilat ion ducts.
Cor rosi on protec tion
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion -protected at the factory .
Good anti- corrosion treatment is very impor­
tant, particu larly in the w inter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
shou ld be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
should be washed as well. ..,_

-Blend must contain not more than 15%
MTBE.
Seasonally adjusted gasoline
Many gasoline grades are blended to perform
espec ially we ll for winter or summer driving.
During seasonal change-over, we suggest that
you fill up at busy gas stat ions where the sea­
sonal adjustment is more likely to be made in
time .
(D Note
-Methanol fuels which do not meet these
requirements may cause corrosion and
damage to plastic and rubber compo­
nents in the fuel system .
- Do not use fue ls that fail to meet the
specified criter ia in this chapter.
- If you are unable to determine whether
or not a particular fue l blend meets the
specifications, ask your service station or
its fuel supp lier.
- Do not use fuel for which the contents
cannot be identified.
- Fuel system damage and performance
problems resulting from the use of fuels
different from those specified are not
the responsibility of Audi and are not
covered under the New Vehicle or the Emission Control System Warranties.
- If you experience a loss of fuel economy
or driveability and performance prob­ l ems due to the use of one of these fuel
blends, we recommend that you switch
to unblended fuel.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among many auto manufac­
turers is carbon deposit build- up caused by
the type of gasoline you use.
Although gasoline grades differ from one manufacturer to another , they have certain
things in common. All gasoline grades contain
substances that can cause deposits to collect
on vital engine parts, such as fuel injectors
and intake valves. Although most gasoline brands include additives to keep engine and
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 233
fuel systems clean, they are not equally effec ­
tive .
A udi recommends using TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. For more info rmation on TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, please go to the official
website (www.toptiergas.com).
After an extended period of using inadeq uate
fuels, built-up carbon deposits can rob yo ur
engine of peak performance.
Q) Note
Damage or malf unct ion due to poor fue l
quality is not covered by the Aud i New Ve­
hicle Limited Warranty.
Fuel tank
Fuel filler neck
The fuel filler neck is located on the right rear
side panel behind the fuel fille r flap.
If the power locking system should fail, you
can still open the flap manually -for deta iled
instruct ions see¢
page 235 .
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve­
hicle in
Technical Data ¢ page 292.
The label on the inside of the fuel fi ller flap
tells you the correct fue l for your vehicle. For
more information about fuel specifications,
see ¢
page 232.
Your vehicle fue l tank has an on -board refue l­
li ng vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and pollut ing the environment while you
refuel your vehicle . In order to fill the tank
properly while protecting the environment,
please fo llow this refueling procedure careful­
ly.
_&. WARNING
Under normal operating conditions, never
carry additional fuel containers in your car.
Gas canisters and other containers used to
transport f uel can be dangero us. Such con­
tainers, full or empty, may leak and could
cause a fire in a collision. If you must
•
•

fuel container in your vehicle. The con­
tainer, full or empty may leak and co uld
cause a fire, especially in a crash.
- If, under exceptional circumstances, yo u
must transport a portable fuel container,
please observe the following:
- Never fi ll a po rtable fue l container
while it is anywhe re in or on the vehicle
(for examp le, in the luggage compar t­
ment, or on the tr unk). Static electric i­
ty can bui ld up while fi lling and can ig­
n ite fue l vapors causing a fire .
- Always p lace a portable fuel container
on the gro und before filling.
- Always keep the fi ller nozzle comp lete­
ly inside the po rtable conta iner before
and during filling.
- If filling a portable container made of
metal, the filler nozz le must always be
in contact with the container. Th is w ill
he lp prevent static electricity from dis­
charging and cause a fi re .
- Never sp ill fuel inside the vehicle or
luggage compartment. Fue l vapors are
h ighly f lammable .
- Always observe local and state/provin­
cial laws regard ing the use, storage
and tra nsporta tion of fuel co ntainers .
- Make certai n the fuel container meets
industry standards (ANSI/ ASTM
F 8 52 -86) .
(D Note
If any f uel has spilled onto t he car, it
should be removed immediate ly to prevent
damage to the paint.
~ For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle sw itches off automatically fo r the fi rst
time, the tank is full. Do not try to add more fue l because fue l may spill out . In
add it io n, th e expans io n sp ace in the fuel
t ank will be fi lled -cau sin g the fue l to
over flow whe n it be come s w arm a nd pol ­
lu te the env iro nment.
Fu el suppl y and filli ng your fuel t ank 235
@ Tips
- Ru nning your eng ine whi le refue lli ng
may cause vapors to escape or even
cause fuel to sp ill out of the tank. T his
would then shut off the fuel nozzle be­
f o re the ta nk is f ull.
- Do not refuel you r vehicle with the ign i­
tion turned o n. The fuel gauge may oth­
erwise not indicate the correct f uel level
after refuelling .
- The fue l filler flap of yo ur vehicle is not
locked when you lock t he ve hicle from
t he insid e.
Unlocking the fuel filler flap
by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking system should fail .
Fig. 199 Lug gage compa rtm ent: ope ning th e side trim
Fig . 20 0 Luggage co mpa rtme nt: Eme rgency ope ning
of fue l fil le r flap
The emergency opening mechanism is located
behind the right side trim panel in the lug­
gage compartment .
Opening the side trim .,. Insert a tool such as a screwdrive r
¢
page 2 7 3 or the emergency key into the
r ight side of the upper gap¢
fig. 199 . .,.

Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig. 201 Dr iver's s ide footwell: engine hood release
lever
"' Open the driver's door .
"' Pull the release lever on the left under the
instrument panel
i=:> fig. 201 in the d irection
of the arrow.
The hood pops up slight ly under spring pres­
sure.
Opening the engine hood
F ig . 202 Re lease lever under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure
that the windshie ld wipers are flat against the
windshie ld. Otherwise, they could damage the
paint on the hood.
"' Pull up on the release under the hood
r::!> fig. 202 . This releases the catch.
"' Open the hood all the way
c::> &,.
Checkin g and fillin g 237
A WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the eng ine
compartment. Wait unt il no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fu lly opening the hood.
Closing the engine hood
"' Pull the hood down un til the pressure from
the struts is reduced.
"' Let the hood
drop down and latch in p lace.
Do not try to push it shut; it may fail to en­
gage
c;, &, .
A WARNING
--
A hood that is not completely latched
could fly up and b lock your view while dr iv­
ing.
- When you close the engine hood, check it
to make sure the safety catch has p roper­
ly engaged. The hood should be flush
with the surround ing vehicle body parts.
- If you notice while driv ing that the hood
is not secured prope rly, stop at once and
close it .
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment.
Whene ver y ou must pe rform any wo rk in the
eng ine compartment, for e xample checking
and filling different fluids, th ere is a risk of
injury, burns and accid ent s. To pr event per­
s o nal injury always observe the following
WARNINGS . The engine compa rtment of an y
vehicle i s a hazardou s are a
c;, Lh,.
A WARNING ~
To help avoid injury, be fo re yo u check any­
thing under the hood:
- Tu rn off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key.

244 Checking and filling
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The engine coolant performs two functions: it
keeps the engine from overheating and it pro ­
tects the engine from freezing in the winter .
The cooling system is sealed and generally re­
quires little attention .
The cooling system has been filled at the fac­ tory with a permanent coolant which does not need to be changed. The coolant consists of a
mixture of water and the manufacturer's gly ­
col-basedcoolant additive G12++ antifreeze
with anticorrosion add itives (SO% for USA
models; 60% for Canadian models). This mix­
ture bo th assures the necessary frost protec­
tion and protects metal components in the
engine's coo ling system from corrosion and
scaling. It also raises the boiling point of the
coolant.
Do not reduce the concentration of the cool­
ant in the summer by adding plain water .
The
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50 % but not more than 60%
to main­
tain antifree ze protection and cooling efficien­
cy. If the coolant frost protection is too low,
the coolant could freeze and damage the vehi ­
cle heating and engine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifree ze is added at
the factory for temperatures down to:
- - 31°F (- 35 °C) USA
- -40°F ( - 40°C) Canada.
You can mix the G12 ++ coolant additive with
other additives (G12+ or G12). Always check
with your authorized Audi dealer.
_&. WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢
A in Working in the engine
compartment on page 237.
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coolant
checked to see if the coolant additive in your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli
­
mate conditions. This is especia lly impor­
tant if you live in a reg ion where the win ­
ter is extreme ly cold. If necessary, in­
crease the proportion of coolant additive
to 60% .
- When adding coolant additive to your
cooling system, remember :
- We recommend using only coolant ad­
ditive G12++ (check the label) for your
vehicle . This coolant additive is availa­
b le at authorized Audi dealers . Other
types of antifreeze can significant ly re­
duce corrosion protection. The result­
ing corrosion can cause a loss of cool­
ant and serious engine damage.
- Do not add any type of radiator leak seal­
ant to your vehicle's engine coolant.
Add ing radiator repair fluid may adverse ­
ly affect the function and performance of
your cooling system and cou ld resu lt in
damage not covered by your New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance.
Fig. 206 E ngin e compart men t: Coo lant expans ion tank
.,. Before you check anything in the engine
compartment,
always read and heed all
WARNINGS ¢&. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 23
7.
.,. Turn off the ignition .
.,. Read the engine coolant level from the
coo lant expansion tank¢
fig. 206. With a
cold engine, the coolant level should be be-
tween the "MIN" and "MAX" markings . ..,..

248 Checking and filling
Have the battery checked when you take your
ve hicle in for service. Yo u are well advised to
replace a battery that is older than 5 years .
W ith certa in types o f airbag deployment, the
battery is d isconnected from the vehicle elec ­
trica l system for safety reasons ¢
& in Re­
pair, core and disposal of the airbags on
page 176.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Some veh icle func tions (power w indow regu­
l a tors, for example) are los t if the bat tery ter ­
minals a re disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals a re
connected agai n. To prevent this, the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
e lectrical system whe n absolutely necessary
for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for long period s
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­ n ents are gradually cut back o r switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main ­
tains starting capab il ity over a longer period
¢ pag e 211.
Some of the conven ience functions may not
operate, such as the inter ior lights or the
power seat adjustm ent. The conven ience
f u nctions w ill be ava ilable again when you
turn on the igni tion and st art the eng ine.
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity
tends to decrease as tempe rat ures d rop . This
i s becaus e more powe r is also consumed while
start ing , a nd the headligh ts, rea r window de­
f o gger, etc., are used more o ften .
Avoid unnec essary power consumption, par­
ticular ly in c ity traffic or w hen t rave ling o nly
short d istances. Let you r auth o riz ed Audi
d ea le r che ck t he cap acity of the ve hicl e bat­
tery be fore w inte r se ts in
¢ page 250. A we ll
cha rged batte ry w ill not only prevent sta rting
p ro bl ems when the weathe r is cold, but wi ll
a ls o l ast longer.
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left stan ding for seve ral
weeks at e xtremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery sho uld be removed and
st ored w here it w ill n ot freeze . This will
p revent it from be ing damaged and having
to be replace d.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the luggage compart ­
ment under the floo r. Befo re you check any­
t hi ng in the luggage compartment,
read and
heed all WARNINGS
¢ ,& .
Always heed t he safety warnings , when work­
i ng on the veh icle battery or the vehicle e lec­
t rical system to prevent injury.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYM­BOLS and safety precautions when working on the battery .
@) Always wear eye protection .
b.. Battery acid contains sulfuric acid . Al­
~ ways wear gloves and eye protection .
~ No
\!!51 -sparks
-flames
-smoking.
A. When a battery is charged, it produces
&£:,. hydrogen gas which is explosive and
could cause personal injury.
~ Always keep the battery well out of
V:!JI reach of children.
_& WARNING
Wh eneve r workin g on th e ba ttery o r o n
the elec trical system, there is t he ris k of
in jury, accident and even fi re . Read and
h eed the followin g WAR NINGS:
-

CD Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to
start the engine. This will seriously dam­
age sensitive electronic components, such
as control units, relays, radio, etc., as well
as the battery charger.
Battery replacement
The new battery must have the same specifi­
cations and dimensions as the original equip­
ment battery.
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle is responsible for distributing the electri­
cal energy throughout your vehicle
c::, page 211. The intelligent energy manage­
ment system w ill keep the engine battery
charged bette r then ve hicles w ithout this sys­
tem. To ma ke sure t he addi tional e lectrical en­
ergy is available once again after you have
changed the battery, we recommend that you
install batteries of the same type and man u­
facture only (the same as those installed at
the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifi­
cations are listed on the battery housing. Your
author ized Audi dealer must code the battery
i n the energy management system to enable
you to use the energy management functions
correctly after replac ing the bat tery .
If it is not possible to use a battery of this
type, the new battery must have the same ca­ pac ity, voltage (12 volts), amperage, con­
s truction and pl ug seal ing .
When insta lli ng the battery, make sure the ig ­
ni tion and all e lectr ica l cons umers are turned
off.
(0 Note
Ma ke sure the venti lation hose on the s ide
of the battery is connected, othe rwis e
fumes or battery ac id can leak out.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper d isposa l
of a batte ry, we recommend your author­
ize d Au di dealer change th e batte ry for
Checkin g and fillin g 251
you. Batteries contain sul fur ic acid and
l ead and must always be disposed of prop­
erly in comp liance with a ll environmental
regulations. Disposing of vehicle batter ies
i mproperly is very dange rous to the envi­
r o nment .
Windshield/headlight*
washer container
Fig . 20 9 En gin e compa rtm ent : W inds hield an d head ­
light• washer fluid co ntai ne r
The was her fluid conta iner is mar ked w ith the
symbol Won its cap.
.., Before you check any thing in the engine
compa rtment,
alwa ys read and heed all
WARNINGS ~ .&_ in Working in the engine
compartment on page 23
7.
.., Lift the fi lle r ca p tongue to add washer flu ­
id. You can fi ll the containe r to t he top .
.., Press the cap back onto t he fi ller neck after
filling the container.
You can find the reservo ir
capacity in the table
in
c::> page 292.
Clean water should be used when filling up. If
poss ible, use soft wa ter to prevent scaling on
the washer jets . Always ad d a glass cleaner
solution (with frost protection in the winter) .
CD Note
Do not mix engine coola nt antifree ze o r
any other additives to fill up t he wind­
sh ield washer reservoir .

252 Tire s and wheel s
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, particularly considering the compara­
tive ly small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that a ll-impo rtant contact between
you, your vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, mak ing
sure that your vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry mo re weight than they can safe ly han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
reg ularly inspecting t ires for damage includ­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and ove rall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid sudden tire failure in­
cluding tread separation and blowouts.
Avoiding damage I f you have to drive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very s low ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chem ica ls includ ing gre ase, o il,
gasoline and b rake fluid off the ti res .
Inspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . Th is ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
install t hem.
When removed, the whee ls or t ires should be
stored in a cool, d ry and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vertical pos ition if they are not
mounted on rims, in a horizontal pos it ion if
they are mounted on rims. New tire
s
New t ires have to be broken in¢&,. .
T he tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord­
ing to the type a nd make of t ire and the tread
pa tte rn .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and r ims is ofte n not readily
vis ible . If you notice unusual v ibrat ion or the
vehicle p ulls to one side, th is may ind icate
t h at one of the t ires has been damaged . Th e
t ir es m ust be checked immed iate ly by an au ­
tho rized Aud i dea le r or q uali fied wor ks hop.
Unidirectional t ires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sid ewa ll, that po int in the direc­
t ion the t ire is desig ned to rotate. You mus t
f ol low the specified d irection of rotation . This
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characterist ics regarding grip,
road no ise, wear and hyd rop laning resistance.
For more information ¢
page 2 79.
A WARNING
-New tires or tires that are old, worn or
damaged cannot provide maximum con­
trol and braking ability .
-
-New tires tend to be slippery and must
also be broken-in. To reduce t he risk of
losing control, a collision and se rious
pe rsonal injuries, drive w it h specia l care
for the first 350 miles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
le ad to loss of control, sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowou t and sudden de­
fl ation, c rashes and seriou s personal in­
juries . Have wo rn or damaged t ires re­
p laced immediate ly .
- T ires age even if they are not being used
an d can fai l sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith specia l care and at low
speed.