tires AUDI Q7 2009 Owner´s Manual
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Page 315 of 426

Cleaning and protection -
----------------
•
Under certain circumstances, weekly washing may be necessary.
Under other conditions , a monthly washing and waxing may be
adequate .
After the winter, the
underside of the vehicle should be thoroughly
washed, preferably in a professional car wash.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 312. •
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any modern auto
matic car wash.
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle can normally be
washed without problems in an automatic car wash . However, the
effect on the paint depends to a large extent on the design of the
facility, the filtering of the wash water , the type of wash and care
material, etc. If the paint has a dull appearance after going through
the car wash or is scratched , bring this to the attention of the oper
ator immediately . If necessary, use a different car wash .
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precau
tions such as closing the windows and the Panoramic sliding
sunroof. Factory installed antennas must not be removed.
If you have installed additional accessories on the vehicle - such as
spoilers, roof rack, etc. -it is best to ask the car wash operator if
these should be removed .
& WARNING
Please take note of the following points before going through an
automatic car wash with your vehicle, so that you can avoid
damage to your vehicle.
& WARNING (continued)
• Compare the track of your vehicle with the distance between
the guide rails of the facility -there is a risk of damage to the
wheels and tires .
• Compare the height and width of your vehicle with the height
and width of the tunnel at the facility.
• Fold the exterior mirrors flat -there is a risk of damaging the
exterior mirrors. Power folding exterior mirrors* must not be
folded in or out by hand. Use the power function!
• Do not allow the wiper blade to fall onto the windshield after
the vehicle is dried -there is a risk of damaging the paint on the
hood.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page312. •
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehicle by hand.
Before you start washing, make sure you have read and
understood the WARNINGS ::::>
& in "General informa
tion" on page 312.
- First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then rinse it off.
- As you clean your vehicle, start with the roof and work
your way down to the bottom, using a sponge, a sponge
glove or a clean brush.
Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often, flushing it
clean each time.
- Use special car shampoo only for very persistent dirt.
Rinse the car thoroughly with water.
Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the exterior dry.
Vehicle care I t •
Page 316 of 426

-~_C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ...::g ::....- a_ n_ d_,__ P_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the wheels, door sills and other
regions exposed t o road dirt. In this way, you wil l n o t sc ratch the
paint with coarse particles imbedded in the sponge the next time
you wash the car.
& WARNING
• Do not clean the underside of the cha ssis, fender s, wheel
c overs , or other h ard to rea ch part s without prote cting your h and s
and ar ms. You ma y cut your self on sharp -edged met al part s.
• Alw ays re ad and heed all WARNINGS and other inform atio n
=> pa ge 312 .
0 Note
• Never try to remove d irt, mud or dus t if the surface of the vehicle
is dry. Never use a dry cloth o r sponge, since this cou ld scratch your
vehic le's paint or windows .
• Never wash your car in bright sunl ight. Drops of water act as
magnifying lenses and may damage your pain t.
• When you wash your car in the winter: if you rinse your vehic le
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 k itchen
scouring sponges or similar products. They can damage your paint
fi nish.
• Never use a dry cloth or sponge to c lean the head lights. Only use
wet cloths or sponges to preven t scratches . It is best to use soapy
water .
In the interes t of the environmen t, the vehic le shou ld on ly be
washed in spec ia l wash bays .•
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Cle aning the exterior of you r ca r with a high- pressure
power washer is safe as long as you observe a few simple rules .
-Before us ing the powe r washer, make su re you have read
and unders tood the WAR NINGS~
& in "General infor
mation" o n
page 312.
Always follow the operat ing instructions fo r th e power
washer.
Make sure t hat the jet o n th e sp ray hose p ro d uces a "fa n
sha ped sp ray".
D o
not hold t he spray n ozzle too close to s oft ma te rials .
When cleani ng the vehicle with a power washer always follow the
operating instructions . T his applies particularly to the operating
pressure and the spraying distance. Maintai n a sufficient distance
to soft materia ls such as rubber hoses and sound/vibration dead
ening materia ls (pa rt icularly 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 shou ld not exceed 140 °F (60 °C).
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sp ray s water in a direct stream .
Thi s could cause invisible damage to th e tires and weaken them ,
even if the spray i s from a re lat ively long distan ce and for a short
time . Damaged and weakened t ires can f ail and cause accidents
and person al injury .
~
Page 349 of 426

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ PII
•
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 comparative ly sma ll 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 safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regu lar ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts , slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avoiding dama ge
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slow ly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls includ ing grease, oil, gasoline and brake
f luid off the tires.
I nspec t the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blis ters, etc.l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota
tion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore t ires in a vertical posit ion if they a re not mounted on rims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in~&.
The tread dep th of new tires may va ry, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
Hidden d ama ge
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehicle pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immed iately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tir es
A unidirectio nal tire can be iden tif ied by arrows on the s idewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must follow
the specified direction of ro tation . This is necessary so that these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more information
~ page 379.
in. WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , worn or damaged cann ot pro vide
m aximum cont rol and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slippe ry and m ust be broken in . To redu ce
the risk of losing control, a colli sion and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
drive with speci al care for t he fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged t ire s can lead to lo ss of co ntrol ,
s udd en tire failure , in clu ding a blowout a nd sudden deflation , .,,_
Vehicle care
I t •
Page 350 of 426

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
& WARNING (continued)
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weight (in excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to
the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equip
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio means the ratio of the height to the width of the tire in percent.
Numb ers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation means a breakdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire.
& WARNING (continued)
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
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 driving, always 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 manufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
before the tire pressure is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight means the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi
tioning and additional weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
may be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side
wall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, measured
at the tire -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR"l
means the maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle.
Page 351 of 426

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lllll
•
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
L oad ra ting (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure. You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by law.
M ax im um l oad ra tin g
means the load rating for a tire at the maximum permissib le infla
tion pressure for that tire.
Ma ximum l oaded v ehi cle weigh t
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehic le capacity weight, and
(ct) Production options weight
M ax im um (p er mi ssibl e) infl ati on pr essur e
means the maximum cold inflation pressure to wh ich a tire may be
inflated. Also ca lled "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occ upa nt wei ght
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants
seated in the vehicle up to the to tal seating capacity of your vehicle.
O ccupant di stributi on
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer di am eter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
O ve rall wi dth
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewa lls of
an inflated tire, includ ing elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Pl y
means a layer of rubber -coated para lle l cords.
P rodu ction opt io ns wei ght
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lbs . (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
i t ems wh ich they replace, not previously considered in curb weigh t
or accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof
rack, heavy duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radi al p ly tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Reco mm ended infl ati on pr essu re
see => page 348, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Rein force d tir e
means a tire des ign to operate at higher loads and at higher infla
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
t ires may be identi fied as "XL", "x i", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
R im
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the t ire beads are seated.
Rim di amet er
means nominal diameter of the bead seat. If you change your whee l
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam
eter .
Rim siz e de sig nation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim wid th
means nominal distance between rim flanges.
Vehicle care I t •
Page 352 of 426

_L_T~ ir~e :..:s~ a~n~ d~ w~ h ~e~e~ l~ s '.,_ ______________________________________________ _
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)=>
page 360. You may not find this informa
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire sidewa ll and indicates the maximum perm issible road speeds=>
&
in "Winter tires" on page 363.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle 's tires
are under inflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning te ll
tale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pu lling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principa l grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=>
page 357, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Adm inistration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rati ng and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers additional informat ion to combine with
other considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recom-mendations. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufac
t urers in three areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature resis
tance . The UTQG information on the tires, molded into the
sidewalls.
U .S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN }
This is the tire's "seria l number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets a ll 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 manufac
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2208 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2008 . T he
other numbers are marketing 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 reca ll.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's tota l seating capacity as listed on the label
located either on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib
uting 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 distrib
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below =>
page 351) and dividing by two. _..
Page 353 of 426

Tires and wheels -_______________ _____.
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating capacities
Designated seating capa city , num
ber of o ccupants Vehicle normal load
, number of
occupants Occupant distribution in a normally
loaded vehicle
5/6*/7* 3
2 in front, 1 in second seat •
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire
pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
Fig. 291 Tire pressure
label: located either on
driver's side B-pillar or
inside the fuel filler flap
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 international 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 vehicle can carry
safely and the tire size . The proper tire pressure is frequently
referred to as the "recommended cold tire inflation pressure ." Air in
the tires expands when the tire heats up because of internal friction
when it flexes in use. The tire 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 inflation pressure " recommendations .
The tires would then be underinflated and could fail suddenly.
i
,,-,~ ---------------- ixl
• (SEATING CAPAC ITY :roTAL I :FRO NT I :cENTER I :REAR I ) al
Thecombh,d""'91wclo«U,,..,.andco,-goshoulcl.......,""""' •1cg., -b.
TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION
TIRE SIZE COLO TIRE PRESSURE
FRONT -KPa, -PSI
REAR -KPa, - PSI
SPARE -KPa, - PSI
MANUAL FOR
INFORMATION SEE OWNER'S I
ADDITIONAL
Fig . 292 Tire pressure
label
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. Keeping tires at the
right pressure is also important for safe and responsive vehicle
handling, traction, braking and load carrying.
Tire pressures are
particularly important when the vehicle is being driven at higher
speeds, and then especially 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 tires on your vehicle and the number of passengers and/or
amount of luggage you will be transporting.
On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's
side B-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 tire inflation pressures _,,,
Vehicle care I I irechnical data
Page 354 of 426

-Tires a nd wh eels rm __________________ _
for the vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were
on your veh ic le at the time it was manufactured.
If you w is h t o improve co mfort w hen opera ting the vehicle a t
n ormal lo ad (up t o 3 o ccupant s), you can a djust ti re pre ss ure s to
tho se s pecified for norm al v ehi cle load . B efore operating the vehi cle
at m aximum lo ad , y ou must i ncreas e the t ire p re ss ure s to tho se
s pe cifi ed for m axim um vehicle lo ad
=> & .
Bear in mind that the tire pressure monitoring system can only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored. The system does not
recognize the load condition of your vehic le.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system will be impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehic le at its maximum load=>&. See the
illustration=>
page 351, fig. 291 for the location of the label
either on driver's side B -p illar or inside the fuel fi ller flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slight ly).
Note that the fol lowing tab le is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change . In the event of discrepanc ies, the tire
pressure label (On USA vehic les, the tire pressure label is located on
the driver's s ide B-pillar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label
is located either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fue l fi ller
fl ap) always takes precedence.
T he table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi model covered by your Owner's Literature at the
vehic le's capacity weight and the tire sizes installed on the respec
tive models as origina l equipment, or as a factory option.
En gin e
( displ ac e
m ent in
liter) Tir
e desi gnatio n Tire pressure fr ont Tire pressur e re ar
normal load norm
al lo ad
full l oad conditi
on (up
full load
condition (up to c ondit ion t o 3 o ccu- co nditi on 3 occupants)
pant s)
II
PSI II kPA PSI kPA PSI II kPA PSI kPA
235/6 0 R18 10 7H XL All Sea son 35 240 44 300 35 240 49 340
255/55 R18 109H XL All S easo n 35 2
40 44
300 35 240 49 3
40
6 -cy lind er 2
65 /50 R19 11 OH XL All Seas on 35 240 44 300 35 240
49 340
3.6
275 /45 R20 11 OH XL All Se ason 35 240 44 300 35 240 49 340
and
8- cy linder 2
75/ 45 R20 11 0 Y XL Hig h Pe rfo rman ce
35 240 44
300 35 240 49 340
4
.2 295 /40 R20 11 0Y XL Hi gh P erform ance 36 44 300 35 240 49
340
2 75/40 R21 10 7V XL High Perf ormanc e 36 250 44 300 35 240 49 340
295 /3 5 R21 107 V XL High P erforman ce 36 250 4
4
300 35 240 49 340
X
L = re infor ced or extr a load tire . It ma y als o app ear as x i, EXTRA LOAD , or RF on the tire side wa ll.
The correct tire pressure for the spare wheel is located on a label either on the driver's side B -pillar or inside the fue l filler flap.
Page 355 of 426

Tires a nd wh eels -
----------------
•
Because technical changes may be made to vehicle equipment
during the mode l year, always compa re the tire size designation on
the tire pressure label on your vehic le with the tires on your vehicle.
Make sure that the tire size information on the vehicle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . This is especially impor
tant if the vehicle belongs to someone else or you bought the
veh ic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ
ously owned vehicle.
Remember, your safety and that of your passengers also depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehicle . These load
limits are technically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ("GVWR"l. The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR"l is
the maximum load that can be applied at each o f the vehicle's two
ax les . The Gross Vehic le Weight Rating and the Gross Ax le Weight
Rating are l isted on the safety compl iance sticker labe l located
either on the driver's side 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel fi ller
flap. The ti re pressure labe l on your Audi lists the maximum
combined we ight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
t hat the vehic le can carry. For the location of the tire pressure la bel
=>
page 357, fig . 291.
& WARNING
O verload ing a vehi cle can c ause loss of vehi cle co ntrol , a cra sh or
other a ccid ent , s eriou s per sonal injury , and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle wa s de signed to carry
w ill p revent the vehicle from h andling properly and incre ase the
ri sk of a l oss of vehi cle control .
• The brake s on a vehicle that ha s been o verloaded m ay not be
a ble to stop the vehicle with in a safe distance .
• Tires on a v ehi cle that ha s been o verlo aded can fail suddenl y
c au sin g loss o f control a nd a cra sh .
• Alwa ys ma ke sure that the total l oad being tr ansp o rted -
including th e wei ght of a trailer hit ch and the tongu e weight of a
& W AR N IN G (c ontinued )
loaded trailer -does not m ake the vehi cle heavier than the
v ehicle' s Gro ss Vehicle W eight Rating.
& WARNING
• Incor re ct t ire pre ssures a nd/o r underi nfl ation can le ad to a
s erious or fatal a ccident.
• Incorre ct t ire pre ssure s and/or u nderinfla tion ca use in crea sed
tire w ear and can affect th e handling of the vehicle.
• Incorre ct t ire p ressu res and /or underinfl ation c an als o lead to
s udden tire failure , including a blowout and sudden deflation ,
c au sin g lo ss of vehi cle co ntr ol. •
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires originally installed
o n your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located
either on driver's side 8 -pil/ar or inside the fuel filler flap .
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the table=>
page 351, "Cold tire inflation pressure" .This means
that the pressure must be checked and adjusted when the tire has
not been driven for more than a couple of mi les (kilomete rs} at low
speeds during the previous three hours. Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal fric tion as i t flexes in
use. The tire 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 "Co ld tire inflation
pressure" recommendations=>
page 351 . The tires wou ld then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly.
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recomme nded cold tire
inflation pressures at maximum capacity for the new, origina l equip -.,.
Vehicle care I t •
Page 356 of 426

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
ment tires that were on your vehicle at the time it was manufac
tured. For the location of the labe l =>
page 351, fig. 291 .
Most tires lose air natural ly over time. They can also lose some air if
you drive over a pothole or hit a curb while parking. It is usually not
possible to see whether the radial tires used today are underinflated
just by looking at them.
Therefore, be sure to check tire pressures at least once a month and
always before going on a long trip. Make sure to take the number of
people and the amount of luggage into account when adjusting tire
pressure for a trip - even one that you wou ld not consider to be
"long." See=>
page 355, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
important informat ion .
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and adjusting inflation pressures. Check a ll 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 p lan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold t ire 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 vehic le as listed on
the on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you
plan to do .
Nev er e xceed th e m ax imum inf lation p ressu re li sted on the tir e
s id ew all for any re ason .
Remember that the veh icle manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the tires on your vehicle .
It is important to check the ti re pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the tire pressure label. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side
B-pillar. On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either
on the driver's s ide 8 -pillar or inside the fue l fil ler flap . The tire pres -sure labe
l lists the recommended co ld tire inflation pressures for
t he vehicle at its maximum capaci ty weight and the tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured. For recommended
tire p ressures for normal load conditions, please see chapter
=>
page 351 .
• Turn the va lve stem cap counter -clockwise to remove it from the
tire valve.
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve.
• T he tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
the tires are cold . The s lightly raised pressures of war m tires must
not be reduced.
• Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying .
• Reinstal l the valve stem cap on the valve.
Wh en sh o uld I ch eck th e tir e pr es su re?
The correct tire pressure is especially important at high speeds. The
pressure should therefore be checked at least once a month and
always before starti ng a journey . Do not forget to check the tire pres
sure for the spare wheel.
When should I adjust the tire pre ssures ?
Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying . After changing
a whee l
or replacing whee ls you have to adjust the tire pressures on
all wheels. In addition, you must then initialize the new tire pres
sures in the tire pressure monito ring system =>
page 42.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pre ssure s and /or underinflation can lead sudden tire
fa ilure , loss o f control , colli sion , seriou s per so nal inj ury or e ven
death.
• When the warning symbo l
r appe ars in th e instr ument
clu ste r, sto p and in spect the tire s.