wheel AUDI A8 2011 Workshop Manual
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Page 209 of 302

Automatic car wash
The vehicl e can b e washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that t he vehicle
can n ormally be washed without p roblems in
a n automatic car wash . H owever, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de
sig n of the fac ility, the filte ring of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
If the pa int h as a dull appearance afte r go ing
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi
ately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a ca r wash, be s ure to
take the usual precautions such as clos ing the
windows and power roof. Factor y installed an
tennas m ust not be removed.
If yo u have installed additional accessor ies on
the vehicle -such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car was h operator if these
should be removed .
When driv ing through an automatic ca r wash,
firs t se lect the
N posit ion and then sw itch the
engine off. If you switch the eng ine off when
N is engaged, the transmission remains in N
for approximate ly 30 m inutes and then Pis
engaged.
F u rther information for automatic gearboxes
~ page 112.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 206.
(D Note
- Fo ld the exterior mir ro rs -flat the re is a
r isk of damaging the exterio r mirrors .
Power folding exterior mirrors must not
be fo lded in or out by hand. Use the pow
er function!
- Compare the track of your vehicle w it h
the distance between the guide ra ils of
the facility- there is a risk of damage to
t h e wheels and tires .
-
Cleaning and protec tion 207
- Compa re the height and w idth of your
vehicle with t he height and width of the
t u nnel at the facility .
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi
cle by hand.
.,. Before yo u start washing, make s ure you
have read and unders tood the WARNINGS
¢ .&. in General information an page 206.
.,. First soak a ll dried d irt unt il it is soft, then
r inse it off.
.,. As you clean yo ur vehicle, start wit h the roof
and work your way down to t he bottom, us
ing a sponge, a sponge glove or a clean
brush .
.,. Rinse the sponge o r th e sponge g love often,
flushi ng it cl ean ea ch time.
.,. Use spec ial car shampoo only fo r very persis
tent di rt.
.,. Rinse the ca r thorough ly w ith water.
.,. Use a chamo is leather to gently w ipe the ex-
ter ior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls , door sills and othe r regions exposed
to road dirt. In this way, yo u wi ll not scratch
the pa int with coarse particles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the car.
A WARNING
- Do not clean the unde rside of the chas
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or oth er ha rd
to rea ch parts witho ut p rotect ing you r
hands a nd ar ms . You may cut you rsel f on
sha rp-edge d meta l pa rts.
- Always read a nd heed a ll WA RNIN GS and
o ther info rmation
¢ page 206.
@ Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
th e su rface of the ve hicle is dry. Never
use a d ry cloth o r sponge, s in ce th is
co uld scra tch you r vehi cle's pain t or win -
-
dows. .,..
•
•
Page 213 of 302

A WARNING ,~
- Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
other information
c:> pag e 206.
- The w indshield must not be treated with
water -repe llent materials. They can in
creas e glare under poor visibility condi
t ions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon. In addi
ti on, they can cause the windshield wip
ers to cha tter.
(D Note
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and m irrors.
This cou ld cause the g lass to c rack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
r ear defogger, do not place a ny ad hesive
stickers on the inside of the rear wi ndow
ove r the wires .
- To he lp prevent di rt from sc ratching the
window, always scr ape in a forw ard d i
rection - p ush ing the scraper away from
you - never back and fo rth.
Weatherstrips
Complete car care includes the weatherstrips
as well .
.,. Apply a suitab le rubber condi tioner to the
weathe rstrips from time to time.
To be able seal p roperly, the weatherstr ips
a round the hood, doors, rear lid, e tc. m ust re
main pliable . Spray the weatherstrips w ith sil
i cone or coat them with talcum powder or
g lycerine to retain the flexibility of the rubber
and to protect them against freezing in the
winter .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
c:> page 206.
Keep s ilicone sprays off the windsh ield to
avoid wiper smear in ra in.
Cleaning and protec tion
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
.,. Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose
brush every other week.
.,. For deep clean ing afterwards, use o nly a
ded icated acid-fr ee cast alloy wheel cleaner .
.,. Rub a coat of liquid wax onto the rims every
three month. Be sure to reach and treat all
pa rts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels, som e special care is neces
sa ry. In addi tion to road d irt and salt, brake
dust is a lso co rrosive . If left on fo r too long,
brake d ust can cause pitt ing.
Use only spec ia l
acid-free cleaners formulated
fo r alloy r ims. Safe produc ts are ava ilab le at
yo ur Audi dealer. Never leave the cleane r on
the rims longer than specified on the label. If
not rinsed off prompt ly, the acid con tained in
some cleaners can attack the threads on the
whee l bolts .
Never use abrasive o r metal po lis hi ng clean
ing agents .
If the protective coating has been
c h ipped, e.g . by kicked up road dirt, to uch it
u p as soon as possible .
A WARNING
--Moisture and ice o n brakes may affect
brak ing eff ic iency
c:> page 192, General
information.
Test the brakes ca refully
each time you wash the vehicle.
- Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other info rmation
¢ page 206.
Body cavity sealing
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked.
A ll body cavities which could be affected by
corros ion have been thorough ly protected at
the factory.
T his sealing does not require any inspection or
additional treatment. If any wax should seep
o ut of the cavity when the ambient
Iii>-
21 1
•
•
Page 219 of 302

Good anti-corrosion treatment is very impor
tant, particularly in the winter . If the vehicle
is freq uent ly driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
should be thoroughly cleaned at t he end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the veh icle
should be washed as we ll.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease removing solut ions
1>, or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro
sion treatment is a lmost always removed as
well.
It is therefore essential to have a long
l as ting co rrosion protection reapp lied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment.
~ WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before working in the engine compart
ment, be s ure to read the informat ion
o page 216.
-Be fore reaching into the front pane l, al
ways switch off the ignition. Othe rwise,
the windshield wiper system co uld un in
tent ionally be switched on, possib ly
caus ing persona l injury from the moving
wiper linkage.
- Never reach into the area around or touch the radiator fan . The auxiliary fan
is temperature cont rolled and can switch
on sud denly - even when the ign it ion is
off.
- Do not wa sh, wax or dry the engine w ith
the engine running. Moving or hot parts
cou ld injure you.
- Do not clean the underside of the cha s
sis, fen ders, wheel cove rs, or ot her hard
to reach parts w ithout protecting your
hands and arms . You may cut yourse lf on
sharp-edged metal parts.
l ) Use o nly the co rrec t cle anin g so lu tio ns. Neve r use gas
olin e or d iese l fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion 217
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
c:> page 206. •
•
Page 240 of 302

238 Tir es and whee ls
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-important 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 more 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 separat ion and blowouts.
A voidin g damage
If 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 icals includ ing grease, oil,
gasoline and b rake fluid off the tires.
Inspect the tires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
St oring tire s
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 wheels or t ires should be
stored in a cool, d ry and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vertical position if they are not mounted on rims, in a horizontal pos it ion if
they are mounted on rims.
N ew tire s
New tires have to be broken in¢&,. .
The tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord
ing to the type a nd make of t ire and the tread
pattern .
Hidden damag e
Damage to tires and r ims is often not readily
vis ible . If you notice unusual v ibrat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
t h at one of the t ires has been damaged . T he
t ir es must be checked immed iate ly by an au
thorized Aud i dea le r or q uali fied wor kshop.
Unidirection al t ire s
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar
rows on the sidewall, that po int in the direc
t ion the t ire is designed to rotate. You must
fol low the specified direction of rotation . This
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip,
road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information ¢
page 267.
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
be broken in . To reduce the risk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in ju ries, d rive w ith special ca re for the
fi rst 350 m iles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
lead to loss of control, sudden tire fail
ure, including a blowou t and sudden de
flation, c rashes and serious personal in
juries . Have worn or damaged tires re
p laced immediate ly .
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and 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.
Page 241 of 302

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo
ry." Old used tires may have been 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 automa tic tra nsmission, power steering,
power br akes, power w indows, power sea ts,
radio, and heater, to the ex tent that these
items are avai lab le as factory -installed eq uip
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the rat io of the height to the w idt h of
the tire in percent . Numbers of 55 o r lower in
d icate a low sidewall fo r improve d steer ing re
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means the pa rt of the t ire t hat is made o f
s teel wires, wrapped o r reinforce d by ply cor ds
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
com ponents in the bead .
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire .
Cold tire infl ation pres sure
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 239
-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 we ight of a motor ve hicle w it h
standard equipment in cl ud ing t he maximum
capacity of fuel, o il, and coolant, ai r cond i
tion ing and addi tional weig ht o f optiona l
equipment .
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to operate at h igher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor
r espondi ng s tan dard tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "X L", "xl", "EXTRA LOA D", o r
"R F" on the sidewall .
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carry ing capac ity of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in
te rfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
mea ns the maximum total loaded we ight of
t h e ve hicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs.
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load tha t a t ire is rate d
to ca rry for a given inflation press ure. 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 loa d ra ting f or a t ire a t the maxi
mum pe rm issi ble inflat ion pressure for that
ti re .
•
•
...
Page 242 of 302

240 Tires and wheels
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means t he sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity we ight, and
(d) P rod uction options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
me ans t he max imum co ld inflation pressu re
to which a tire may be in flate d. Also called
"maxim um inflation p ress ure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilog rams) times the
nu mbe r of o ccupants seated in t he vehicle up
to the tota l sea ting capaci ty of yo ur vehicle .
Occupant distribution means dist ribution of occupants in a veh icle .
Outer diameter means t he overa ll diameter of a n in flated new
tire.
Overall width
means t he linear dis tan ce between the ex ter i
ors o f th e sidewalls of an inflated tire, in cl ud
ing e levations due to labeling, decorations, or
p rotective bands o r ribs.
Ply
means a laye r of r ubber-co ate d parall el c ords.
Production options weight
means t he comb ined we ight of those installed
regular produc tion options weigh ing ove r 5
l bs . (2 .3 kg) in excess of t hose standard items
which they repla ce, no t previously considered
in cur b weight o r acc essory weig ht, incl uding
h eavy duty brakes, r ide leve le rs, roof ra ck,
h eavy duty ba tte ry, a nd specia l trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic t ire in which the p ly co rds
t ha t ex tend to the beads are laid a t sub stan
ti ally 9 0 degrees to the ce nt erline o f the
trea d. Recommended inflation pressure
see
<=>
page 239, C old tire infl atio n pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate a t higher loads
and at h igher inflation pressures than t he cor
r espondi ng stan da rd tire. Reinforced tires
may be identifie d as "X L", "xl" , "EX TRA LOAD",
o r "RF " on t he sidewa ll.
Rim
means a metal su ppo rt 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 w ill have to
purchase new tires to match th e new r im di
ameter .
Rim size designation
means r im diameter and width.
Rim width
means nom inal dista nce between rim flan ges .
Sidewall
means tha t port ion of a t ire betw ee n t he
t read a nd bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is designed to
be driven for extended periods of time. The
r a ti ngs range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h)
~ page 250. Yo u may
not fi nd this information o n all ti res because
it is no t re quir ed by law.
T he speed rating letter code, wh ere applica
ble , is molde d on the tire sidewall a nd indi
c ates the max imum pe rmissibl e road speeds
<=> A in Winter tire s on page 2 54.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
mea ns a system that detects when o ne or
more of a veh icle 's tires are unde rinf lated an d
ill uminat es a low tir e pr es sure wa rning t ell
t a le.
Page 243 of 302

Tires and wheels 241
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pull ing away of the tread from the tire
carcass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principal
grooves designed to give a visual indication of
the degrees of wear of the tread. See
c:> page 248, Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) for
more informat ion on measuring tir e wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the
United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to help buyers make relative comparisons among
tires. The UTQG is not a safety rating and not a
g uarantee that a tire will last for a prescribed
number of mi les (kilometers) or perform in a
certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers addi
tional information to combine with other con
siderat ions, such as pr ice, brand loya lty and
dealer recommendations. Under UTQG, tires
are graded by the tire manufacturers in three
areas : treadwear, traction, and temperature
res istance . The UTQG information on the tires,
mo lded into the sid ewa lls.
U.S . DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
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 man ufactured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year of man ufacture.
For example,
DOT . .. 2212 ...
means tha t the tire was produced in the 22nd
week of 2012. The other numbers are market
ing codes that may or may not be used by the
tire manufacturer . This information is used to
contact consumers if a tire defect requires a
recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus
150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the vehicle's to
ta l seating capacity as listed on the label lo
cated either on the driver's side B-pillar.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individu al tire that is
de termined by distributing to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individua l tire that is
determined by distributing to each axle its
share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occ upant weight (distributed in
accordance with tab le be low
c:> page 241)
and dividing by two.
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating
capacities
Designated seating capacity,
number of occupants
4
5
Vehicle normal load, number Occupant distribution in a nor-
of occupants _____ mally loaded vehicle
2 2 in front
3 2 in front, 1 in back seat
•
•
Page 244 of 302

242 Tires and wheels
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle .
I ± ...
"'
Fig. 184 Tire pressure label: located on driver's side B ·
pillar
Tire pressure generally refers to the amount
of air in 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 kilopascals (kPa), the interna·
tional measuring unit and in pounds per
square inch (PSI). Tire pressure is based in
part on the vehicle's design and load limit
the greatest amount of weight that the vehi·
cle can carry safely and the tire size. The prop·
er tire pressure is frequently referred to as the
"recommended cold tire inflation pressure."
A ir in the tires expands when the tire heats up
because of internal friction when it flexes in
use. The t ire pressure is higher when the tire
has warmed up than when it is "cold ." It is the
inflation pressure in a "cold " tire that counts.
Therefore, you should never let air out of a
warm tire to match "cold tire inflat ion pres
sure" recommendations. The tires would then
be underinflated and could fail suddenly.
Maintaining proper tire pressure is one of the
most important things you can do to help
avoid sudden tire failure. Underinflated tires
are a major cause of sudden 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 the
vehicle is being driven at higher speeds, and
then especially when heavily loaded even
within the permissible load -carrying capaci
ties 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. 185 Tir e pressure label
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 veh icle
and the number of passengers and/or amount
of luggage you will be transporting .
The tire pressure label is located on the driv
er's side B-pillar . The tire pressure label lists
the recommended cold t ire inflation pressures
for the vehicle at its maximum capac ity
we ight and tires that were on your veh icle at
the time it was manufactured.
If you wish to improve comfort when operat
ing the vehicle at normal load (up to 3 occu
pants), you can adjust tire pressures to those
specified for normal vehicle load. Before op
erating the vehicle at maximum load, you
must increase the tire pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
c::> .&,.
Bear in mind that the tire pressure mon itor ing
system* can only monitor the tire pressures
you have stored. The system does not recog
nize the load condition of your vehicle.
T he effectiveness of the tire pressure monitor
ing system* will be impa ired if yo u store nor
mal load pressures but then operate the vehi
cle at its maximum load
c::> .&..
See the ill ustration c::> fig. 184 fo r the locat ion
of the label on driver's side B-pillar (color of
the actua l lab el and exact lo cation on the ve
hicle will vary slightly).
Note that the following table is accurate at
the time of going to press and is subject to
Page 245 of 302

Tires and wheels 243
change. In the event of discrepancies, the tire
pressure label (On USA vehicles, the tire pres
sure label is located on the dr iver's side B -pil
lar always takes precedence.
The table be low lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the A udi model covered
by your Owner 's Literat ure at the vehi
cle's capacity weight and the ti re sizes instal
l ed on the respective models as orig inal
equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load full load normal load full load
ment in
li-conditiona l
condition conditional
condition
ter) kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
a-cylinder 235/55 Rla 104H XL all
35 240 36 250 32 220 38 260 4.2
season
255/45 R19 104H XL all
240 36 250 32 220 38 260
season
265/40 R20 104V XL
33 230 33 230 30 210 35 240
a-cylinder 235/55 R18 104H XL all 240
36 250 32 220
38 260
4.2L season
255/45 R19 104H XL all
35 240 36 250 32 220 38 260 season
265/40 R20 104V XL 240
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side-
wall.
al normal load co ndit io n c:, page 24 1.
The correct tire pressure for the spore wheel is
located on a label on the driver's side B-p illar.
Because technical cha nges may be made to
vehicle equipment during the model year , a l
ways compa re the tire size designation on the
tire pressure label on your ve hicle 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.
T his is especially important if the vehicle be
longs to someone else or you bought the vehi
cle wi th 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 mak ing sure that
load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load in
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
veh icle. These load lim its are technically refer
red to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rat
in g ("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 B-pillar . The tire pressure labe l on
your Audi lists the maximum combined
weight of all of the occupants and luggage or
other cargo tha t the veh icle can carry . For the
location of the tire pressure label
c::> fig. 184.
A 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
trol.
•
•
Page 247 of 302

Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not
the tire manufacturer, determines the correct
tire pressure for the t ires on your vehicle.
It is impor tan t to check the tire pressu re when
the t ires a re cold .
- Read the requ ired ti re p ressure from the tire
pressure label. On USA veh icles, the t ire
pressure label is located on the drive r's side
B-pi llar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pres
sure label is located on the driver's side B
pillar.
- Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise
to remove it from the tire valve.
- Place the air pressure ga uge on the valve.
- T he tire pressures sho uld only be chec ked
and adjusted when the t ires are cold. The
s li ght ly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
- Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are
ca rrying .
- Re insta ll the va lve stem cap on the valve.
When should I ch eck the tire pressur e?
The cor rect tire pressure is espec ially impor
tant at high speeds. The pressure should
therefo re be checked at least once a month
a nd a lways before start ing a journey. Do no t
forget to check the tire pressure for the spare
wheel
r:!> page 261 .
When should I adjust the tire pressures ?
Adjust the tire p ressure to the load you are
carry ing. Afte r changing a wheel
or replacing
wheels you have to adjust the tire pressures
on all wheels . In addition, you must then
store the new tire pressures i n the tire pres
sure monitoring system *
r:!> page 256.
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinfla
tion can lead sudden tire failure, loss of contro l, col lision, ser ious persona l injury
or even death.
- When the warning symbo l
[I] appears in
the instrument cluster, stop and inspect
the tires .
Tires an d wheel s 245
-Inco rrect tire pressure and/or underinfla
tion can cause increased tire wear and
can affect the handli ng of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin
flation can a lso lead to sudden t ire fail
ure, including a blowout and sudden de
flation, caus ing loss of veh icle cont rol.
- The drive r is responsib le for the correct
tire pressures for all tires on the ve hicle.
The appli cable pressure values a re locat
ed on a sticke r o n the dr iver's s ide B -pil
lar.
- Onl y when all tir es on the vehicle are fil
led to the co rrect p ressu re, the t ire pres
sure mon itor ing* syste m can work cor
rectly.
- Th e use of incorrect tire p ress ure v alues
can lead to a cciden ts or o ther d amage.
T herefore it is essential that the drive r
observe the specified tire press ure va lues
for the tires and the correct pressures for
the function of the t i re p ress ure monito r
ing system*.
- Always inflate t ires to the recommended
and correct t ire pressure before dr iv ing
off.
- Driving with underinf lated tires bend
more, lett ing them get too hot resulting
in tread separation, sudden tire failure
a nd loss of cont rol.
- Excessive speed and/overloading can
cause heat build- up, sudden tire failure
a nd loss of cont rol.
- If the tire pressure is too low or too high,
the t ires will wear prematurely and the
veh icle w ill not handle well.
- If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel immediately, d rive at
red uced speed to t he nearest servic e sta
tion to che ck the t ire p ress ure and add
air as req uired.
0 Note
Driving w ithout valve stem caps can cause
damage to the tire valves. To prevent this,
a lways make sure that factory insta lled
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