AUDI RS5 CABRIOLET 2015 Owners Manual

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wear on steering, suspension and tires. A wheel must also be
rebalanced when a new tire is
installed.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment can
cause excessive tire wear, im­
pairing the safety of the vehi­
cle. If tires show excessive
wear, have the wheel alignment checked by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop.
All wheel drive
Vehicles with quattro must al­
ways have tires of the same
size, construction and tread
type. For details see
¢page 176.
A WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead
to loss of control, a crash and serious personal injury!
-Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down to the wear indica­
tors.
-Worn tires are a safety haz­
ard, they do not grip well on
wet roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and
loss of control.
Tires and wheels 229
-Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage, such
as grease, oil, gasoline and
brake fluid away from tires.
-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 lower speeds.
-Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." 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.
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230 Tires and wheels
New tires and replacing
tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to
be broken in.
Fig. 186 Tire specification codes on
the sidewall of a tire
No. Description
CD Passenger car tire (where
applicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in
millimeters
@ Ratio of height to width
(aspect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® Load index and speed rat-
1ng
(j) U.S. DOT tire identifica -
tion number
No. Description
® Audi Original tire
® Sever snow conditions
@ Tire ply composition and
materials used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and
temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible in-
flation pressure
The tires and rims are essential
parts of the vehicle's design.
The tires and rims approved by
Audi are specially matched to
the characteristics of the vehi­
cle and can make a major con­
tribution to good road holding and safe handling when in good
condition and properly inflated
¢ A .
We recommend that all work
on tires and wheels be per­
formed by an authorized Audi
dealer. They are familiar with recommended procedures and
have the necessary special tools
and spare parts as well as the
proper facilities for disposing of
the old tires.
Authorized Audi dealers have
the necessary information

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about technical requirements
for installing or changing tires and rims.
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be replaced at least in pairs and not individu ­
ally (for example both front
tires or both rear tires togeth­ er) .
Be sure to read and heed the in­
formation to the tire pressure monitoring system*
¢page 239.
Always buy replacement radial
tires that have the same specifi­
cations as the tires approved
for your vehicle by Audi. Re­
placement tires must always
have the same load rating spec­
ification as the original equip ­
ment or approved optional tires
listed in the table
¢ page 217.
Audi-approved specification
tires are specially matched to
your vehicle and its load limits and can contribute to the im­
portant roadholding, driving
characteristics, and safety of
the vehicle. The table ( ¢
page 217) lists specifica­
tions of the tires approved for
I
Tires and wheels 231
the Audi models covered by
your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure label located on driver's side B-pillar
(r=>page 217, fig. 183) lists the
specifications of the original
equipment tires installed on
your vehicle at the time it was
manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manu­
facturers to place standardized information on the sidewall of
all tires¢
fig. 186. This infor­
mation identifies and describes
the fundamental characteris­
tics, the quality grade of the
tire and also provides a tire identification number for safety
standard certification and in
case of a recall.
Tire specifications
Knowledge of tire specifications
makes it easier to choose the
correct tires. Radial tires have
the tire specifications marked on the sidewall , for example:
P265 / 35 R19 98V XL
This contains the following in-
formation: ..,..
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232 Tires and wheels
P Indicates the tire is for pas­
senger cars (where applica­ ble)
265 Nominal tire width in mm
of the tire from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the num­
ber, the wider the tire
35 Height/width ratio in per­
cent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
19 Rim diameter code (in in-
ches)
98 Load rating code
Y Speed rating letter code
XL (or "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or
"RF" Indicates that the t ire is
a"Reinforced" or an "Extra
Load" tire
M+S (or "M/5") Indicates that
the tire has some mud and snow capability
The tires could also have the in­
formation of direction of rota­
tion
¢page 211.
Tire manufacturing date
The manufacturing date is also
indicated on the tire sidewall
l) For t ires with a maximum speed ca­
pability ov er 149 mph (240 km/h) ,
tire manufacturers sometimes use
the letters "ZR."
(possibly only on the inner side
of the wheel):
"DOT ... 2214 ... " means, for
example, that the tire was pro­
duced in the 22nd week of
2014.
Speed rating (letter code)
The speed rating letter code on
the wheels indicates the maxi­
mum permissible road speeds
¢ A in Winter tires on
page 237.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
1 )
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)1)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)1
)
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)1) .,.

Tires and wheels 233
Your vehicle is normally factory highest standards regarding •
equipped with tires, which pos- safety and driving characteris-• '
sess excellent driving character- tics when used correctly. Your
istics and give your Audi authorized Audi dealer will
optimum driving comfort. gladly provide you with more
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
information.
Number (TIN) and tire
Tire ply composition and
manufacture date materials used
This is the tire's "serial num-The number of plies indicates
ber". It begins with the letters the number of layers of rubber-
"DOT" and indicates that the coated fabric in the tire. In gen-
tire meets all federal stand- eral, the greater the number of
ards . The next two numbers or
plies, the more weight a tire
letters indicate the plant where can support. Tire manufactur-
it was manufactured, and the ers also must indicate the ma-
last four numbers represent the terials in the tire, which include
week and year of manufacture .
steel, nylon, polyester, and oth-
For example, the numbers ers.
2214 mean that the tire was
Maximum Load Rating
produced in the 22nd week of
2014. The other numbers are This number indicates the max-
marketing codes that may or imum load in kilograms and
may not be used by the ti re pounds that can be carried by
manufacturer. This information the tire.
is used to contact consumers if
Tire quality grading for
a tire defect requires a recall. treadwear, traction, and
Audi Original tire temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and tern-
Tires with the identification
"ROl" have been specially perature
grades¢
page 236.
M matched with your Audi. We
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234 Tires and wheels
Maximum Permissible
Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest
amount of air pressure that
should ever be put in the tire
under normal driving condi­
tions.
.&_ WARNING
-Using incorrect or unmatch­ ed tires and/ or wheels or improper tire and wheel
combinations can lead to loss of control, collision and
serious personal injury.
-Always use tires, rims and wheel bolts that meet the
specifications of original
factory-installed tires or
other combinations that have been specifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manu­
facturer.
-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 lower speeds.
-Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of their "previous
histo­
ry." 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.
-All four wheels must be fit­ ted with radial tires of the
same type, size (rolling cir­
cumference) and the same
tread pattern. Driving with different tires reduces vehi­
cle handling and can lead to
a loss of control.
-If the replacement tire is
not the same as the tires
that are mounted on the ve­
hicle -for example with win­
ter tires - only use the re­
placement tire for a short
period of time and drive
with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel as soon
as safely possible.
-Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which
the tires on your vehicle are
rated because tires that are
driven faster than their rat-
ed speed can fail suddenly. ...

Tires and wheels 235
-Overloading tires cause heat Incorrect use of run flat •
build-up, sudden tire fail- tires can lead to vehicle • '
ure, including a blowout damage or accidents. Check
and sudden deflation and with an authorized Audi loss of control. dealer or tire specialist to
-Temperature grades apply see if your vehicle
can be
to tires that are properly in- equipped with run flat tires.
flated and not over or un- If run flat tires are used,
derinflated. they must be installed on all
-For technical reasons it is four wheels. Mixing tire
not always possible to use types is not permitted.
wheels from other vehicles -
(D Note
in some cases not even -For technical reasons, it is
wheels from the same vehi-
not generally possible to
cle model.
use the wheel rims from
-If you install wheel trim
other vehicles. This can hold
discs on the vehicle wheels, true for wheels of the same
make sure that the air flow vehicle type.
to the brakes is not blocked. -If a replacement tire is dif-
Reduced airflow to the
ferent from the tires that
brakes can them to over-
you have mounted on your
heat, increasing stopping
vehicle (for example winter
distances and causing a col-
tires or wide profile tires),
lision.
-Run flat tires may only be then use the replacement
tire for a short period of
used on vehicles that were time only and drive with ex-
equipped with them at the tra care. Replace the flat
factory. The vehicle must
tire with the tire matching
have a chassis designed for
the others on your vehicle
run flat tires and a factory-
as soon as possible.
installed tire pressure moni-
M
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valve stem cap. The valves ,....,
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236 Tires and wheels
@ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of old tires in accord­
ance with the local require­
ment s.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- T raction
AA A B C
- T emperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire side wall between tread shou lder
and max imum sect ion width
¢ page 230,
fig. 186.
For example: Tread wear 200, Tract ion AA ,
Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Feder­
al Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course .
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relat ive performance of t ires depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how­
ever, and may depart significantly from the norm due to var iations in dr iving habits, serv­
ice practices and differences in road character­
istics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the
tire's abil ity to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled cond itions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢&,. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi­
pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and red uce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure
¢ &,..
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform ­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand­
ard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es ­
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Winter tires -
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice . At temperatures below 45 °F
(7 °C) we recommend changing to winter
tires .
In some heavy snow areas, local governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread . These tires should
only be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels. Make sure you purchase snow
tires that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on your vehicle. .,.

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Your vehicle is equipped with all whee l drive,
this will improve traction during winter driv­ ing, even with the standard tires. However, we
strongly recommend that you a lways equip a ll
four wheels on your veh icle w ith correctly fit­
ted wi nte r tires or all -season tires, when w in ­
ter road conditions are expected. This also im­
p roves the vehicle 's braking performance and
reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and
snow .
W inter tire s (snow t ires) must always be fitted
on all four wheels.
Ask your authorized Audi dea ler o r qualified
workshop for permitted
w inter t ire sizes. Use
only radia l winter tires .
Winte r ti res lose thei r effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .15 7 inch
(4 mm) .
On ly drive with winter tires under winter con­
d itions. Summer tires hand le better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above
45 °F (7 °().
If yo u have a flat tire, see notes on repla ce ­
ment whee l¢ page 230 .
Pl ease always remembe r th at w inte r ti res may
have a lower speed rating tha n the t ires origi­
n all y ins talled on your veh icle at the t ime i t
was manufactured . Please see ¢ page 232,
Speed rating (letter code) for a Listing of the
speed rat ing letter codes and the maximum
speed at wh ich the t ires can be driven .
The speed rating letter code( ¢ page
215) is
on the side wall of the tire ¢ page 230.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max­
imum speed. Always know the maximum
speed befo re driving off . Never drive faster
than the speed permitted for your specific
w inte r tir es . This will cause damage to the
ti res leading to an ac cident and se rious
pe rsonal i njury to you and yo ur p assen­
gers .
Tire s an d wheel s 237
A WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your ve hicle
were designed can cause t ire fail ure in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,
l oss of cont ro l, crashes and ser ious per­
sona l injuries. Have wo rn or damaged ti res
replaced immedia tely.
- Wi nte r tires h ave maxim um speed ra ting
that may be lower than yo ur vehicle 's
maxim um speed.
- Never d rive fas ter than the speed for
whi ch the w inter or othe r ti res installed
on yo ur vehicle are rated.
A WARNING
=
A lways ad just yo ur driving to t he roa d and
traffic conditions. Never let the good ac­
celeration o f the winter tires and a ll wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks. Al­
ways remember:
- When braking, an all wheel drive vehicle handles in the same way as a front drive
veh icle.
- Drive carefully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even w inter t ires
cannot help under black ice conditions.
@ For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are qu ieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumpt ion.
Snow chains
-
Snow cha ins may be fitted only to the fro nt
whee ls, and on ly to certain tire sizes . Ask your
autho rized Aud i dea le r o n whi ch tire sizes
snow chains can be used.
The snow chains must have low-p rofile links
and must not be th icker than
0 .41 inch
(10 .5 mm) , in cl ud ing t he lo ck.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putt ing snow cha ins on your veh icle
¢ 0 . For safety reasons cover caps must then ..,.
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238 Tire s and whee ls
be fitted over the whee l bolts. These are
avai lab le from authorized Audi dealers.
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehi­
cle or installing them incorrectly can in­
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury .
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes. Always make sure to follow the in­
struct ions provided by the snow chain
manufacturer .
- When driving with snow chains never
dr ive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow cha ins.
- Always observe local regulat ions .
- Remove snow cha ins before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging t ires and wear ing the snow
chains down unnecessar ily .
- Snow chains, wh ic h come into d irect con­
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it . Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitab ly covered . Check
the position of the snow chains after
driv ing a few yards and correct if neces­
sary. Follow the i nstr uctions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
(D Tips
Where s now cha ins a re mandatory oncer­
tain roads, this norma lly also applies to
vehicles with all wheel drive .
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
corr ect torque.
The design of whee l bolts is ma tched to the
factory insta lled r ims. If d ifferent rims are fit­
ted, the correct wheel bo lts with the r ight
l ength and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used . This ensures that wheels are fitted
secu re ly and that the b rake system functions
correctly . In certain circumstances, you may not use
whee l bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same mode l¢
page 266 .
A WARNING "--
Improperly t ightened or ma inta ined whee l
bo lts can become loose causing loss of
control, a col lision and serious pe rsonal i n­
jury .
- Always keep the wheel bo lts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bo lts can turn easily and be prop­
erly tightened.
- Never g rease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the wheel hubs. They can become loose while driv ing if g reased o r
oiled, even if t igh tened to the specified
torque.
- On ly use wheel bolts that belong to the
rim being installed .
- Never use different wheels bolts on yo ur
veh icle.
- Always maintain the correct t ightening
torque for the wheel bolts to reduce the
risk of a wheel loss. If the tighten ing tor­
que of the whee l bolts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi­
cle is moving. If the tightening torq ue is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads
can be damaged and the whee l can be­
come loose.
Q) Note
The specified torque for the whee l bolts is
90 ft lbs . (120 Nm) with a tolerance of
± 7,4 ft lbs. (± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts
diagonally . After changing a wheel, the
torque must be checked as soon as possi ­
ble with a to rque wrenc h - preferably by an
autho rized Audi dea le r or qualified wor k­
shop .
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory -equipped with low aspect
ratio tires. These tires have been thoroughly
tested and been se lected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road fee l ..,.