flat tire AUDI A8 2014 Owners Manual

142 Driving Safely
-Always distribute the load as evenly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rat­
ing or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
specified on the safety compliance stick­
er on the left door jamb. Exceeding per­
missible weight standards can cause the
vehicle to slide and handle differently.
- Please observe information on safe driv­
ing
q page 135.
A WARNING
-
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas
from being drawn into the vehicle, always keep the rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely into the luggage
area because the rear lid cannot be fully
closed.
- If you absolutely must drive with the rear
lid open , observe the following notes to
reduce the risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the power roof,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument
panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest
speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows, the power roof and the rear lid are
securely 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, on the
Left side of the Luggage compartment.
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
<=> page 252 .
Tie -downs
The luggage compartmen t is equipped wi th
four tie-downs to secure luggage and o ther
items.
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo p rop­
erly
c> page 141, Loading the luggage com­
partment.
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

168 Airbag system
and safety belts with pretensioners are
scrapped, al l applicable laws and regula·
tions must be observed. Your authorized
Audi dea ler is familiar with these require·
ments and we recommend that you have
your dealer perform this service for you .
Other things that can affect Advanced
Airbag performance
Changing the vehicle's suspension system can
change the way that the Advanced Airbag Sys­
tem performs in a crash. For example, using
tire-rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the vehicle, chang ing the stiffness of
the suspension, including the spring s, suspen­
sion struts, shock absorbers etc. can change
the forces that are measured by the a irbag
sensors and sent to the electronic control
unit . Some suspension changes can, for exam­
ple, increase the force levels measured by the
sensors and make the airbag system deploy in
crashes in which it would not deploy if the
changes had not been made. Other kinds of
changes may reduce the force levels meas ­
ured by the sensors and prevent the airbag
from deploying when it should.
The sensors in the safety belt buckle for the
driver and front passenger seat tell the elec­
tronic control module if the safety belt is
latched or not. If the safety belt is being used,
the front airbag will deploy at a slightly high­
er rate of vehicle deceleration than if the safe ­
ty belt is not being used . Therefore, in a par­
ticular collision, it is possible that an airbag
will not deploy at a seating position where the
safety belt is being used but will inflate at the
position where the safety belt is not being
used . It is important that nothing interfere
with the safety belt buckles so that the sen­
sors can send the correct information about
safety belt use to the electronic control unit.
A WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension includ­
ing use of unapproved tire-rim combina­
tions can change Advanced Airbag per-formance and increase the risk of serious
personal injury in a crash.
- Never install suspension components
that do not have the same performance
characteristics as the components origi­ nally installed on your vehicle.
- Never use tire-rim combinations that
have not been approved by Audi.
A WARNING
--
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center console can cause
the sensors in the buckle to send the
wrong information to the e lectronic con­
trol module and prevent the Advanced Air­
bag System from working properly.
- Always make sure that nothing can inter­
fere with the safety belt buckles and that
they are not obstructed .
Knee airbags
Description of knee airbags
The knee airbag system con provide supple­
mental protection to properly restrained
front seat occupants.
Fig. 169 Driver 's knee airbag
The driver knee airbag is in the instrument
panel underneath the steering wheel
¢ fig . 169, the airbag for the passenger is at
about the same height in the instrument pan­
el underneath the glove compartment.
The knee airbag offers additional protection
to the driver's and passenger's knees and up­
per and lowe r th igh areas and supplements
the protection provided by the safety belts. ..,.

Trailer load distribution Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely
in place to prevent it from shifting forward,
backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer
¢ .&. in Driving instructions on page 214.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work hard ­
er . 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 on the driver's
side B-pillar (visible when the door is open).
Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufac­
turers' specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer
lights are working properly.
Safety chains Be sure trailer safety chains are properly con­
nected from the trailer to the hitch on the ve­
hicle . Leave enough slack in the chains to per­
mit turning corners . When you install safety
chains, make sure they will not drag on the
road when you are driving.
The chains should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent it from dropping in case of
separation from the hitch .
Adjusting the Audi drive select Make sure the vehicle is on a level surface
be­
fore
hitching up the trailer and before adjust ­
ing the tongue weight. The vehicle must be in
auto or comfort driving mode and not raised
¢page 110, ~CD .
Make sure that the vehicle is lowered. In Info ­
tainment, select:
ICARI function button> low­
er control button .
Trailer towing 213
If you must drive under poor road conditions,
you can raise the vehicle
after coupling the
trailer or
after adjusting the tongue weight
¢ page 112.
@ Note
- Changes in temperature or load can af­
fect the height of the vehicle.
- Always select auto or comfort mode.
Otherwise, the tongue load specified for
your vehicle will no longer be applicable.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
core 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 it­
self is not loaded .
.,. Be especially careful when passing other
vehicles.
.,. 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 with an empty car re­
sults in a highly unstable distribution of
weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very
low speeds only to avoid the risk of losing
steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and con­
trol. This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissi­
ble, while keeping the trailer as light as possi­
ble under the circumstances . Whenever possi­
ble , transfer some cargo to the luggage com­
partment of the tow vehicle while observing
tongue load requirements and vehicle loading
considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not .,.
•
•

248 Tire s 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 all -important contact between
you, your vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making
sure that your vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry more weight than they can 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 overall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid sudden tire failure in­
cluding tread separation and blowouts.
A vo idin g dama ge
I f you have to drive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very slow ly and as close as possi ­
ble at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chem icals including grease, oil,
gasoline and b rake fluid off the tires.
Inspect the tires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or bl isters, etc.). Remove any foreign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
St orin g 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 them.
When removed, the wheels or tires should be
stored in a cool, dry and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vertical position if they are not mounted on rims, in a horizontal position if
they are mounted on rims. N
ew tir es
New t ires have to be broken in¢&,. .
The tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord­
ing to the type and 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 vibrat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
that one of the t ires has been damaged . T he
t ir es must be checked immed iate ly by an au­
tho rized Aud i dea le r or q ualified wor kshop.
Unidirecti onal t ires
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 2 77.
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 collision and ser ious personal
injuries, drive 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 special care and at low
speed.

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
yo u 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.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when d riving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age .
(D Note
Please note that summe r and wi nte r tires
are designed for the cond itions that are
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those sta ndard items which may be rep laced)
of au toma tic transmission, power steer ing ,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the rat io o f the height to the w idth of
the tire in percent . Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
dicate a low sidewall for improved steering re­
sponse and better overa ll handling on dry
pavement .
Bead
means the part of the t ire t hat is made o f
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
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.
Tire s an d wheel s 249
typica l in those seasons . Aud i recommends
using winter tires during the winter
months . Low temperatures signif icant ly
dec rease the e lasticity of summer t ires,
which affects tract ion and brak ing ability.
If summer t ires are used i n very co ld tem ­
peratures, cracks ca n form o n the tread
bars , res ulting in perma nen t tire damage
that can cause loud driving noise and un­
bala nced ti re s. Audi i s not respon sible for
th is type of damage .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the t ire p ress ure recommended by t he
vehicle manufacture r fo r a tire o f a des ignated
s ize t hat has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le o f miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire press ure
is m easured or adjusted.
Curb weight
me ans the we ight of a motor ve hicle with
st andard equipmen t incl ud ing the max imum
capacity of fuel, oi l, and coolant, air condi ­
tioning and additional weig ht of optiona l
equipment.
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to oper ate a t higher load s
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standa rd tire . Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "x l", "EXTRA LOAD", o r
"RF" on the sidewal l.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
me ans the load-ca rry ing capac ity of a single
axle system , measured at the tire -ground in­
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
mea ns the maximum total loaded we ight of
the ve hicl e. .,..
•
•

250 Tires and wheels
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs .
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a given inflation pressure. You
may not find this informat ion on all tires be­
cause it is not req uired by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a t ire at the max i­
mum permissible inflation pressure for that
tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity we ight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure
to which a tire may be inflated. Also called
"maximum inflation pressure ."
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 inflated new
tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteri­
ors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire, includ­
ing elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands o r ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those insta lled
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 we ight, including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special tr im .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumat ic tire in which the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan­
t ia lly 90 degrees to the center line of the
tread .
Recommended inflation pressure
see<=> page 249, 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 standa rd tire. Reinforced tires
may be identified as "XL" "xl" "EXTRA LOAD"
' ' '
or "RF" on the sidewa ll.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Rim diameter
means nom inal diameter 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 r im 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 wh ich a tire is des igned to
be driven for extended periods of t ime . The
ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h) ¢
page 260 . You may
not find this information on all tires because
it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applica­ ble, is molded on the tire sidewall and indi­
cates the maximum permissible road speeds
¢ &. in Winter tires on page 264.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
means a system that detects when one or
more of a vehicle's tires are underinflated and
illuminates a low tire pressure warn ing te ll­
tale .
Tread
means that port ion 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 pr incipal
grooves designed to give a visual ind ication of
the degrees of wear of the tread. See
¢
page 258, Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) for
mo re inf ormat ion on measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the
United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Admin istration (N HTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among
tires . Th e U TQG is not a safety rating and not a
g ua ran tee that a tir e 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-
Tires and wheels 251
siderations, such as price, brand loyalty and
dealer recommendations. Under UTQG, tires
are graded by the t ire manufacturers in three
areas : treadwear, traction, and temperature
resistance. The UTQG informat ion on the tires,
molded into the sidewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins
with the letters "DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federa l 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.
For example,
DOT ... 2213 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22nd
week of 2013. 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 k ilograms) times the vehicle's to­
tal seating capacity as listed on the label lo­
cated on the driver's side B -pillar .
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is
determined 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 individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each ax le its
share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distr ibuted in
accordance with table below¢
page 252)
and dividing by two.
•
•

252 Tires and wheels
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating
capacities
Designated seating capacity, Vehicle normal load , number Occupant distribution in a nor -
number of occupants of occupants mally loaded vehicle
4 2 2 i
n front
5 3 2 i n fro nt, 1 in back seat
Cold tire inflat ion pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
Fi g. 20 8 Tire p ressu re label: located on drive r's si de 8 -
p ill ar
T ire pressure gene ra lly refers to the amo unt
of air i n a tir e th at i t needs it to do its job and
s a fe ly c arry the combined load of the entire
ve hicl e and its contents . Tire pressure is
measured in kilopasca ls (kPa), the i nterna ­
tional measuring unit and in pounds per
squa re inc h (PSI). Tire pressure is based in
part o n the vehicle's design and load limit -
the greatest amount of we ight that the vehi ­
cle can car ry safely an d the t ire s ize . The prop­
e r tire p ressu re is freq uen tly referred to as the
"recommende d cold tire inf lation pressure."
A ir in the tires exp ands when the ti re heats up
beca use of in ter nal fri ct ion when i t flexes in
use. The tire p ress ure is higher when the tire
has warmed up tha n when it is "cold." It is the
inflat ion pressure in a "cold" tire that counts.
Therefore, you sho uld never let air out of a
warm tire to match "cold ti re inflation pres­
sure" recommendations. The t ires wo uld the n
be underinflated a nd could fail suddenly .
Maintaining proper t ire p ress ure is one of the
most important things you can do to he lp
avoid sudden tire failure . Underinflated t ires
a re a majo r ca use of s udden tire failure. Keep­
ing tires a t the r ight pressu re is also impor-
-~
-
( • (==. ~r: I := I :... 1)-~- -:-i
n. ........... ....,. .................... ,...,,.. ...... ...... .. '--............................................... ·-..
TN IIZE CO.O TN.,,.... ,.,._u OWlHSIONt ......,., DU ,.,._ua .-,--
-.....
--...........
- KP aPSI
- ICPA. a PSI
- ICPA. a PSI
Fig. 209 Tire p ressu re labe l
SEEOWHf:ft"S MA. NUAl FOR
IHFOll:MA TION Va.t Lf M>.MJ!:L
OU PltOPfllE f A.IN: ,ol.M "-.UtDf NNSCIOM.:MErtf5
tant for safe an d respo ns ive ve hicle ha ndling,
t raction, br aking and load ca rrying .
Tire pres­
sures are particularly important when the
vehicle i s being dr iven at higher speeds, and
then especially when heavily loaded even
within the permissible load-carrying capaci ­
ties approved for your vehicle .
The recommende d tire pressures for your Audi
depen d on t he kind of tires o n your vehicle
and the number of passengers and/or amount
of luggage you w ill be transporti ng.
T he tire pressure label is located on the d riv­
er's side B -pillar . The tire pressure labe l lists
the recommended cold t ire inflat ion pressures
fo r the vehicle at its maxim um capac ity
weight and tires t hat were on your veh icle at
t h e time it was ma nufactured.
If you wish to improve comfort when operat­
ing the vehicle at normal load (up to 2* /3
occupants ), you can adjust t ire pressures to
those specified for normal vehicle load. Be·
fore operating the vehicle at maximum load,
you mu st increase the tire pres sures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
i:::> .&, . II>-

Tires an d wheel s 253
Bear in mind that the ti re press ure monitoring
system* can only monitor the tire pressures
you have stored. The system does not recog ­
n ize the load condit ion of your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitor ­
ing system* will be impaired if you store nor­
mal load pressures but then operate the vehi ­
cle at its maximum load
c;, &.
See the i llustration c;, fig. 208 for the location
of the label on driver's side B-pillar (co lor of
the actua l labe l and exact location on the ve­
h icle wi ll vary slightly). Note that the
following table is accurate at
the time of going to press and is subject to
change. In the event of d iscrepancies, the tire
pressure label is located on the driver's side B­
pillar always takes precedence.
The table below lists the recommended cold
tire inflat ion pressures for the Audi mode l
covered by your Owner's Literature at the vehi­
cle's capacity weight and the t ire sizes instal­
led on the respective models as orig inal
equipment, or as a factory option.
Tire pressure
Model /En-
Tire design ation normal load condition
full load condition
gine fronta> reara>
front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
AB /AB L: 235/55 R18 104H
35 240 32 220 36 250 38 260
3 .0 lit er
255/45 R1 9 104H 35 240
32 220 36 250 38 260
6-cy lind er
26 5/40 R2 0 104H 35 240 32 220 36 250 38 260
265 /40 R20 104 V 33 230 32 220 33 230 35 240
275
/35 R 2110 3Y XL 35 240 32 220 36 250 35 240
A8/A8 L: 235 /55 R1 8 104H 35 240
32 220 38 260 38 260
4.0 l it e r
255/4 5 R19 104H 35 240 32 220 38 260 38 260
a-cy lind er
26 5/ 40 R 20 104H 35 240
32 220
38 260
38 260
2
6 5/40 R 20 104V 33 230 32 220 35 240 35 240
27
5/35 R2 110 3Y XL 35 240 32
220
38 260
38 260
AB L
: 265/40 R20 104 V 35 240 32 220 36 250 35 240
6.3 liter
255 /45 R1 9 104H 36 250 32 220
39 270
38 260
12
-cy lin-
26 5/40 R 20 104H 36 250 32 220 39 270 38 260
der
275/35 R 21 103 YXL
35 240 32 220 36 250
35 240
58
: 2 65/40 R 20 10 4V 36 250 32 220 39 270 38 260
4.0 liter
265 /35 R21101 Y 39 270 35 240 44 300 42 290
a-cy lind er
275/35 R 2110 3Y XL 39 270 35 240
44
300 42
290
XL= reinf orce d or extra lo ad tir e. It ma y als o appe ar a s x l, E XTRA LOAD, or RF on th e tire s ide-
w all .
al no rmal load co ndit ion c:> page 252.
The correct tire pressure for the spare wheel is
l ocated on a label on the dr iver's side B-pilla r.
Because technical changes may be made to
ve hicle equ ipment dur ing the model yea r, a l­
ways compa re the tire size designation on the tire pressu
re label on you r vehicle with the
t ires on you r vehicle. Make sure that the t ire
size in formation on the vehicle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle.
This is especially important if the vehicle be-
l ongs to someone else or yo u bought the ...,
•
•

254 Tire s and wheel s
vehicle with diffe rent rims/ti res or you bought
the vehicle as a previously owned vehicle.
Remembe r, your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on mak ing sure that
l oad limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
ve hicle . These load limits are technically refer­
red to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle We ight
Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rat­
ing ("GAWR") is the maximum load that can
be applied at each of the veh icle 's two axles.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rat ing a re listed on the
safety compliance st ic k er labe l located on the
d river's side B-p illar. T he tire pressure label on
your Audi lists the maximum combined
weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or
othe r cargo that the vehicle can carry. For the
locat ion of the tire pressure label¢
fig. 208.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
hicle control, a cras h or other acc ident, se­
r ious personal in ju ry, and even death.
- Carry ing more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling p roperly and in­
cr ease the risk of a loss of veh icle con­
tro l.
- T he brakes on a veh icle that has been
overloaded may not be ab le to stop the
vehicle within a sa fe distance.
- Ti res on a vehicle that has been ove rload­
ed can fail suddenly causing loss of con­
tro l and a crash .
- Always make su re that the tota l load be­
ing t ransported -including the we igh t of
a tra ile r hi tc h and the tongue weight of a
loaded t ra iler -does not make the veh i­
cle heavier than the ve hicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.
A WARNING
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can lead to a serious or fatal acci­dent .
-
'
-Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
f lation ca use increased tire wear and can
affect the handling of the vehicle .
- 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 control.
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires original­
ly ins talled on your vehicle is lis ted 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 252, Cold tire inflation pressure. This
means that the pressure m ust be checked and
adjusted when the t ire has not been dr iven fo r
more than a couple of miles (kilomete rs) a t
low speeds d uring the prev ious t hree ho urs.
Air in the tires expands when the tire heats up
as a result of interna l friction as it flexes in
u se . T he tire pressure is higher when the tire
has warmed up than when it is "cold."
It is the inflation pressure in a "co ld" t ire that
counts . Therefore, you should never let air out
of a warm tire to match "Cold tire inflation
pressure" recommendat ions ¢
page 252 . The
t ires wou ld then be underinflated and could
fail suddenly .
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended co ld tire inflation pressures at
maximum capacity for the new, orig inal
equipment tires that were on your vehicle at
the time it was ma nufactu red . Fo r the loca ­
t ion of the label¢
page 252, fig . 208 .
Most tires lose air naturally over t ime . They
can a lso lose some air if you drive over a pot­
hole or hit a curb while park ing . It is usually
not possible to see whether the rad ial tires
u sed today are unde rinflated just by loo kin g
at them.
T herefo re, be sure to check t ire p ressures at
least once a month and always befo re going
o n a long trip. Ma ke su re to ta ke the numbe r
II>-