ESP AUDI R8 SPYDER 2012 Workshop Manual

160 Cleaning and protection
Open Velcro fasteners on your clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
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 vehicles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in various colors.
The intensity of the color determines the visu­
al 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 condition. This
leather offers particularly good comfort and
breathes well. Fine veins, closed grains, insect
bites, skin folds, and subtle variations in color
remain visible. These characteristics demon­
strate that the material is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or finish.
It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
ing and wear, which is something you need to
consider if children, animals or other factors
might prove to be particularly hard on the
l eather.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a colored finish layer are more durable. This
has a positive effect on the leather's resist­
ance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the
other hand, the typical characteristics of natu­
ral leather are barely or not apparent. Howev­
er, this does not mean that the leather 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 sensitivity to oils, grease, soil­ ing, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care- ful
with these leathers, and a certain type of
care is required . For example, dark clothing
materials can discolor leather seats (especial ­
ly if such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correctly). Dust and dirt particles in pores,
folds, and seams can have an abrasive effect and can damage the leather surface as well as
weaken seams .
The leather should be cleaned regularly as needed. After having been used for a relatively
long time, your leather seats will acquire a
rich aged finish. This is a characteristic of nat­
ural leather and a sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the value of this natural
product over the life of your vehicle, you
should follow the recommendat ions below:
(D Note
- To keep your leather from bleaching out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time. If you
have to leave the vehicle parked outside
for long periods, cover the leather to protect it from direct exposure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather .
(D Tips
-After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leather preser­
vative creme that contains UV-blockers
and that works into the leather. This
creme will nourish and moisturize the
leather, helping it to breathe and stay
supple .
It also helps to build up a protec­
tive 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, lipstick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as possible.
- Preserve the color of the leather as need­
ed by using a spec ial colored leather care
creme to touch up areas of uneven color .

Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natu ral leather
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention.
Norm al cleaning
.,. Cle an soiled areas w it h a slightly mo istened
cotton or woolen cloth .
More stubb orn d irt
.,. More stubborn dirt can b e re moved 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
clo th .
Cl eaning spots
.,. Remove fresh wa ter-b ased spots (such as
coffee, tea, ju ices, blood) w ith an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
.,. Remove fresh
gr ease or o il-based spot s
(such as b utter, mayonnaise , chocolate) wi th
an absorbent cloth or paper towe l, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet p enetrated into the surface
of the leathe r.
.,. Use an oil/grease dissolv ing spray, if
oil /
gr ease spot s hav e dr ied on.
.,. Remove spec ific kinds of spots (ballpo int
pen, felt marker, fingernail polish , water­
based paint, shoe polish, etc.) with a spot
remove r spec ifi cally formulated for leather .
Leather care
.,. Every half year use an approved leather care
product (ava ilable from your authorized Au ­
di dealer) to care for the leather .
.,. Apply the p roduct very spa ring ly.
.,. Wipe it off wi th a damp cloth .
If you have any questions about cleaning and
car ing for the leather in your vehicle, it is best
to contact your author ized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our
fu ll range of leather care products, s uch as:
Cleaning and protec tion 16 1
-Leather cleaning and care kit
- Cremes to care for colored leather
- Spot removers for ballpoint pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oi l/grease d issolving spray
- New and upcom ing products .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
r:!vpage 153.
@ Note
- Never use chemical so lvents (e .g . lighter
fluid, tu rpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
sim ilar products on the leather surfaces
in your Audi.
- To avoid damage, have stubbo rn sta ins
removed by a comme rcial clean ing spe­
c ialist.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
App lies to vehicles: wit h Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
.,. Mois ten a cloth , squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
.,. Moisten a cloth with lukewarm wate r or
w ith d iluted
e th yl (rubbing ) alcohol.
.,. Dab at the stain . Start at the outs ide and
work i nwards .
.,. Once the sta in is no longer v is ible , use a
soft dry cloth or tissue to soak up the mo is ­
ture.
Do no t use leather cleaning prod ucts on A l­
cantara .
You may use a suitab le shampoo for remov ing
dust and di rt.
Dust and gr it in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface .
If the car is
left stand ing in the sun for long per iods, the
Alcanta ra covers should be protected aga inst
direc t sun light to prevent it from fad ing.
Slight co lor va riations will develop in normal .,.. •
•

162 Cleaning and protection
use and are not an indication of material
deterioration.
(U;) Note
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g. lighter
fluid , turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
similar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercial cleaning spe­
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­ ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly.
• Keep belts clean.
• For cleaning, use a mild soap and water sol­
ution. Let belts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
• Do not allow inertia reel safety bel ts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
• Check the condition of your safety belts
reg ­
ularly .
_& WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
- Anything that might damage your safety
belts could mean that you and your pas­
sengers would not be adequately pro­
tected in an accident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­
rect installation. Never remove belts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents,
bleach or dyes. They have corrosive prop­
erties which weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage. If you discover dam­
age, see your authorized Audi dealer.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
¢page 153.
1) Use o nly the co rrect cle anin g so lu ti on s. Never use gas­
o lin e or die se l fuel.
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
Corrosion protection
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti-corrosion treatment is very impor­
tant, particularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and plenum panel
should 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.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease removing solutions
1> , or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro­ sion treatment is almost always removed as
well.
It is therefore essential to have a long­
lasting corrosion protection reapplied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment.
A WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before working in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the information
¢page 169.
-Before reaching into the front plenum
panel, always remove the ignition key .
Otherwise, the windshield wiper system
could unintentionally be switched on,
possibly causing personal injury from the
moving wiper linkage.
- Never reach into the area around or
touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary fan
is temperature controlled and can switch
on suddenly- even when the ignition is
off.

-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 165
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 unlocking system should fail, you can
still open the flap manually -for detailed in ­
structions see
¢ page 167.
You can find the fuel tank capacity of your ve­ hicle in
Technical Data ¢ page 217.
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 164.
Your vehicle fue l tank has an on -board refue l­
ing vapor recovery system. This feature helps
to prevent fuel vapors from escaping from the
tank and polluting 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
•
•

-For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not travel with a portable
fuel container in your vehicle. The con­
tainer, full or empty may leak and could
cause a fire , especially in a crash .
-If, under exceptional circumstances, you
must transport a portable fuel container,
please observe the following:
- Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is anywhere in or on the vehicle (for example, in the luggage compart­
ment, or on the trunk) . Static electrici­
t y can build up while filling and can ig­
nite fuel vapors causing a fire .
- Always place a portable fuel container
on the ground before filling .
- Always keep the filler nozzle complete­
ly inside the portable container before
and during filling.
- If filling a portable container made of
metal, the filler nozzle must always be
in contact with the container . This will
help prevent static electricity from dis­
charging and cause a fire.
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or
luggage compartment. Fuel vapors are
highly flammable.
- Always observe local and state/provin­
cial laws regarding the use, storage
and transportation of fuel containers
- Make certain the fuel container meets
industry standards (ANSI/ ASTM
F852-86).
(D Note
I f any fuel has spilled onto the car, it
should be removed immediately to prevent
damage to the paint.
@ For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated nozzle switches off automatically for the first
time, the tank is full. Do not try to add
more fuel because fuel may spill out. In
addition, the expansion space in the fuel
tank will be filled -causing the fuel to
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 167
overflow when it becomes warm and pol­
lute the environment.
a) Tips
- Running your engine while refueling may
cause vapors to escape or even fuel to
spill out of the tank. This would then
shut off the fuel nozzle before the tank
is full.
- Do not refuel your vehicle with the igni­
tion switched on. The fuel gauge may
otherwise not indicate the correct fuel
level after refueling .
Unlocking the fuel filler flap
by hand
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking sy stem should fail .
Fig. 135 En gin e compar tment: loo sening the fue l fill er
fl ap cab le
Fig. 136 Engine compar tment: re lea sing the fuel fille r
flap using the emer gen cy re le ase
You can release the fuel filler flap using a red
emergency release loop .
It is located in the
right side of the engine compartment.
.. Open the engine compartment lid.
.. Loosen the fuel filler flap cable from its
mount @ on the crossmember
~ fig. 135 . liJJ,,

Checking and filling Engine compartment
lid
Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in the engine compartment!
Whenever you must perform any work in the
engine compartment, for example checking
and filling the different fluids, there is a risk
of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent per­
sonal injury always observe the following
WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a ha zardous area!
¢ &. .
_&. WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any­
thing under the engine compartment lid:
- Switch off the engine.
- Remove the ignition key.
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever of R tronic to "N"
(Neutral); put manual transmission in
Neutral.
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the engine compartment lid if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping
from the engine compartment. Wait un­
til no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before carefully opening the en­
gine compartment lid.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool­
ant system is pressurized and hot cool­
ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
Checking and filling 169
-If work on the fuel system or the electri­
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or open flames . Fluids in the engine com­
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im­
mediately available .
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in ­
jury while the engine is running or being started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
- If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever of R tronic to "N"
(Neutral); put manual transmission in
Neutral.
- Always use extreme caution to prevent clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­
ing hot parts. Tie back hair before
starting, and wear no clothing that will
hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards¢& .
A WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling.
•
•

A WARNING
-While top ping off, the oil must not come
in contact with hot engine pa rts -fire
hazard!
- The oil fille r cap must be prope rly se­
cured to preve nt o il from being sprayed
on the hot engine and exhaust system
when the eng ine is r unning -fire hazard!
- If your skin has come in contact w ith the
engine oil, yo u must subseque ntly
cl eanse it tho roughly.
(D Note
- The oil level must not be above range G)
- danger of conver ter or eng ine damage!
Co ntact an authorized Audi dea ler to
draw off oil, if necessa ry.
- Audi does not recommend the use of oil
additiv es. They may damage the engine
and adverse ly affec t your New Vehicle
Warr an ty.
@) For the sake of the environment
- Under no ci rcumstances ca n the o il come
i n cont act w it h the sewage network o r
the soil.
- Observe and fo llow lega l regu lations
when d isposing of empty oil con taine rs.
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The coolant provides cooling for the engine.
The percentage of the coolant additive deter­
mines the freeze protection of the coolant in the winter.
The cooling system is sea led and generally re­
q ui res 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 o f water and the man ufacture r's g ly­
col-based coolant additive Gl3 ant ifreeze
w ith a nticorros ion add itives (50% for USA
models; 60% for Canad ian models). This mix­
ture bot h assures the n ecessary frost protec-
Checkin g and fillin g 175
tion and protects meta l components in t he
engine's cooling system from corrosio n and
sca ling . It a lso raises the boiling point of the
coolant.
Do not reduce the concen tration of the cool ­
ant in the s ummer by adding p lai n wate r.
The
proportion of coolant additive must be at
least 50 % but not more than 60 %
to main­
ta in antifreeze protect io n and coo ling eff ic ien­
cy. If the coo la nt frost protection is too low,
t h e coolant could freeze and damage the vehi­
cle heating and engine cooling system .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at
the factory fo r temperatures dow n to:
- -31°F( -35°C)USA
- -40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada .
A WARNING ~
Before you chec k anything in the engi ne
compartment, always read and heed a ll
WARNINGS¢
& in Working in the engine
compartment on page 169.
-
(D Note
- Before winter sets in, have the coo lant
checked to see if the coolant additive in
your vehicle is sufficient to meet the cli ­
mate condit ions. This is especially impor­
t ant if you l ive i n a region where the win-
t er is extremely cold. If necessary, in-
cr ea se t he p ropo rtion of coo lant add itive
t o 6 0%.
- Whe n ad ding coolant addi tiv e to yo ur
c oo ling sys te m , reme mbe r:
- We recommend using on ly coo lant ad­
d itive Gl2 ++ or Gl3 (check the labe l)
for your vehicle. This coolant additive is ava ilable at authorized Aud i dea lers .
Othe r ty pes of antifreeze ca n sig nifi­
ca ntly reduce cor ros io n protec tion . The
r esu lting co rrosion can cause a loss of
coo lant a nd serio us e ng ine da mage.
- Do not add any type of rad iator l eak seal­
ant to yo ur vehicle's engi ne coo lant .
A dd ing radia to r r epair f luid m ay adverse-
ly affect the f unction and pe rformance of .,.. •
•

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 . T ires are,
however, one of the most important parts of a
vehicle, particularly considering the compara­
tively small patch of rubber on eac h tire that
assures that a ll- important contact between
you, you r 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 safely han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
r eg ularly inspec ting t ires for damage i nclud­
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.
Avoiding damage If you have to d rive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very slow ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemicals includ ing grease, o il ,
gasoline and brake fluid off the t ires .
I nspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedde d in the treads.
Storing tires Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . T his ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
i nstall them .
When removed, the whee ls or t ires should be
sto red 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 .
Tires an d wheel s 183
New tires
New tir es 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
pa tte rn.
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and r ims is ofte n not readily
visible . If you notice unusual v ib rat io n or the
vehicle p ulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
that one of the t ires has been damaged . T he
ti res m ust be chec ked immed iate ly by an au­
thorized Audi dea le r or q ua lified wor kshop .
Unidirectional tires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the s idewa ll, that po int in the direc­
tion the t ire is designed to rotate. You mus t
f ol low the specified di rection o f rotation . T his
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information ¢
page 206.
A WARNING
New tires or t ires that are o ld, 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 r isk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in ju ries, d rive with special ca re fo r 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 blowout and sudden de­
fl ation, c ras hes and se riou s personal in­
juries . Have wo rn or damaged t ires re­
placed immediate ly.
- Ti res age even if they are not being used
and can fai l sudden ly, especially at hig h
spee ds. 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.
•
•

184 Tire s and wheel s
-Ne ver 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.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight means t he comb ined we ight (in excess of
those standard items which may be rep laced)
of R t ron ic, powe r stee ring, powe r brakes,
power w indows, power sea ts, r ad io, and hea t­
e r, to the extent that these i tems are available
as facto ry -in stalled equipment (whether in ­
stalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means t he ratio o f the he ight to the w idth of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
d icate a low sidewall fo r improved s teer ing re ­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means t he part of the tire that is made o f
steel wires, wr apped o r reinforce d by p ly co rds
and that is shaped to fi t the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
compo nents in the bead.
Cord means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means t he tire pressure recommended by the
ve hicle manufacturer for a tire 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. -
If you notice un usual 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
means the we ight of a motor ve hicle w it h
standard equipment includ ing the max imum
capa city of fuel, o il, and coolant, a ir cond i­
ti on ing and additional weig ht o f option al
equipmen t.
Extra load tire
means a t ire designed to operate at higher
loads and at highe r inflat ion p ress ures tha n
the cor responding standard tire. Extr a load
t i r es my be i dent ified as "XL" , "xl", "E XTRA
LO AD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ( "GAWR ")
means the load-carry ing capacity of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in­
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
means the maximum tota l loaded we ight of
the vehicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs .
Load rat ing (code )
me ans the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry fo r a given inflation press ure. Yo u
may not fi nd this information on all tires be­
ca use it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
me ans the lo ad r ati ng fo r a tire a t the m axi­
mum perm issib le inf lation pressure for that
ti re .

Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, 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 pressu re."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 k ilograms) 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 overall 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 e levations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated para llel cords.
Production options weight
means the comb ined weight of those installed
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 weight, including
heavy duty brakes, r ide leve lers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic t ire in which the p ly cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan­
tially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Tires and wheels 185
Recommended inflation pressure
see~
page 184, Cold tire inflation pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a t ire designed to operate at higher
loads and at higher inflat ion pressures than
the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
ti res my be ident ified as "XL" , "xl", " EXTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support 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 the new r im di­
ameter.
Rim size designation
means r im diameter and width.
Rim width
means nom inal distance between rim fla nges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the
tread and bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is designed to
be driven for extended periods of time. The
ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h)
~pag e 194 . You may
not find this information on all tires because
it is not requ ired by law.
T he speed rating letter code, where applica­
ble, is molded on the tire sidewall and indi­
cates the maximum pe rmissib le road speeds
~ .&. in Winter tires on page 198.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or
more of a veh icle's tires are underinflated and
illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell­
tale.
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