tires AUDI RS5 CABRIOLET 2015 Owner's Guide

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
N
recommend using only these er
u..
co .... tires because they meet the \!) 1.1'1
.... 1.1'1 ....

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
-Never drive without the N
er toring system* that indi-u.. co
valve stem cap. The valves ,....,
cates a loss of tire pressure. \!) 1.1'1 ,...., could get damaged. 1.1'1 ,....,

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. .,.

M N
er
u..
co ...... \!) 1.1'1
...... 1.1'1 ......
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 ..,.
•
•

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 ..,.

M N
er
u..
co ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
and handling under a variety of driving condi­
tions. Ask your authorized Audi dea ler for
more deta ils.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated
by a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size
designation. The numeral represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relation to its
trea d width expressed in percentage. Conven­
ti onal tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more.
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is
particularly sensitive to improper inflation
pressure . It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified
pressur e and that the inflation pressure is
regularly checked and maintained. Tire pres­
sures should be checked at least once a
month and always before a long trip
¢ page 221, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more
easily by impact with potho les, curbs, gullies
or ridges on the road, particu larly if the tire is
underinflated .
I n order to minimize the occ urrence of impact
damage to the tir es of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation
pressures. Check your tire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if neces­
sary .
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t hr ough or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also
cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
t ir es or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer. Replace a damaged
t ir e as soo n as possible.
- Inspect your t ires every 2,000 miles (3,000
km) for damage and wear. Damage is not al­
ways easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, wh ich could eventu-
Tires and wheels 239
ally cause tire failure. If you believe that a
tire may have been damaged, rep lace the
tire as soon as possib le.
- These tires may wear more quickly than oth­
ers.
- Please also remembe r that, while these tires
deliver responsive handling, they may ride
less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold
season conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires or iginally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for maximum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling. They are not suitable
for cold, snowy o r icy weather conditions. If
you drive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehi cle w ith all-season or
winter tires, which offer better traction under
those conditions. We suggest you use the rec ­
ommended snow or a ll-season tires specified
for your vehicle, or their equivalent.
Refer to¢
page 236 for more de tailed infor­
mation regarding winter tires.
Ti re pressure
monitoring system
ill General notes
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when cold and in ­
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the veh icle manufacturer on the veh icle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a d ifferent size than the
s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in­
flat io n pressure label, you should determine
the proper t ire inflation pressu re for those
tires).
As an added safety feature, your veh icle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon itoring
system (TPMS) that illum inates a low tire
pressure te llt ale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. .,.
•
•

24 0 T ire s and wheel s
According ly, when the low tire pressure te ll­
tale illuminates, you shou ld stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inf late
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a s ig­
n ificantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-in­
flation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle's han­
dli ng and stopp ing ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a subst itute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv­
e r's responsib ility to ma inta in correct tire
p ressu re, even if under- inflation has not
reached the leve l to trigger ill umination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your veh icle has also been equ ipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicato r to indica te when
the system is not opera ting properly. The
TPMS mal function indicator is combined wi th
the low tire press ure telltale . When the sys­
tem detects a malfunction, the te lltale will
f lash fo r approximately one minute and then
remain cont inuous ly illuminated. This se­
quence will continue upon subsequen t vehicle
start -ups as long as the ma lfunction ex ists .
When the malfunct ion indicator is ill uminat­
ed, the system may not be able to detect or
signal low t ire pressure as intended . TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea ­
sons , includ ing the installat ion of replace­
ment or a lternate tires or whee ls on the veh i­
cle that prevent the TPMS from funct ioning
p roperly. Always check the TPM S malf unct ion
tellta le after replacing one o r more t ires or
wheels on your veh icle to ensure that the re­
p lacement or a lternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function p roperly. Tire pressure indicator appears
Applies to vehicles: wit h tire press ure mo nitor ing system
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too
low or if there is a system malfunction .
Fig . 1 87 Displa y: un derin flation w arnin g
U sing the ABS sensors, the tire pressure moni­
toring system compares the tire tread circum ­
ference and vib ration characteristics of the in­
dividua l tires.
If the pressure decreases in one
or more t ires, this is indicated in the instru­
ment cluster with a
RI] war ning symbol and a
message ¢
fig. 187 . The driver message in the
display goes out afte r 5 seconds . The driver
message can b e displayed again by pressing
t h e
ISE TI button. If o nly one t ire is affec ted,
the d isp lay w ill indicate its posi tion.
The tire pressure monitoring system must be reset via rad io or M MI* each time the pres­
su res a re adjusted (e.g. when swit ching be­
tween partial and f ull load p ress ure) or after
changing or rep lacing a tire on your ve hicle
¢
page 241 . The TPMS indicator only mon i­
tors the ti re pressure that yo u have previous ly
stored. You can find the recommended tire
pressures for your vehicle on the label on driv­
er 's side 8-pillar ¢
page 217.
Tire tread circumference and vibration charac­
teristics can change and cause a ti re pressure
warning if:
- the tire press ure in one or more tires is too
low,
- the t ire has struc tural damage,
- t he t ire p ress ure was c hanged, wheels rota t-
ed or rep laced but the TPMS was not reset
¢ page 241. ..,_

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co ,...., \!) ..,.,
,...., ..,., ,....,
Warning symbol s
ti] Loss of p ressure in at least one tire c::> ,&. .
Check the tire or tires and replace o r repair if
necessary . The indicator light
ti] in the instru­
ment cluster also illuminates
c::> page 13.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires
and reset TPMS v ia radio or MMI*.
liif:I ( T ire Pressure Monitoring System) Ti re
p ressu re : Sys tem malfun ction !.
Ifffi:m appears after sw itching the ign ition on
or while driving and the indicator light
ti] in
the instrument cluster blinks for approxi­
mate ly one min ute and then stays on, there is
a system malfunction. Attempt to store the
correct t ire pressure
c::> page 241. If the ind i­
cator light does not turn off or if it turns on
shortly thereafter, immediately drive your ve­ h icle to an authorized Audi dealer or author­
i zed repair facility to have the malfunction
corrected.
_& WARNING
- If the t ire pressure indicator appea rs in
the instrument cl uster display, one or
more of you r tires is significantly under­
inflated. Reduce your speed immediately
and avoid any hard steering or braking
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the t ires and the ir pressures . In­
flate the tire pressure to the proper pres­ sure as indicated on the vehicle's t ire
pressure label
c::> page 217. Driving o n a
signific antly under-inflated tire ca uses
the tire to overhea t and can lead to tire
f ailure. Under-inflation also is likely to
impair the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ability.
- The driver is responsible for maintaining
the correct tire pressures . You must
check the t ire pressures regular ly.
- Under certain cond itions (such as a spor ­
ty driving style, w inter condit ions or un­
paved roads), the pressure monitor ind i­
cator may be de layed.
-Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run­ flat tires may be used on your veh icle.
Tire s an d wheel s 241
(D Tips
-The tire pressure monitor ing system may
stop working when there is an ESC ma l­
function.
- Using snow c hains may res ult in a system
ma lf u nction.
- The tire pressure mon itoring system on
your Audi was deve loped using tires with
the "ROl" identificat ion on the tire side­
wall
c::> page 230. We recommend using
these tires.
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
App lies to vehicles : wit h tire p ress ure mo nitor ing system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels ore ro­
tated or changed, the TPMS must be reset via
radio or MM!*.
.,. Before storing the new t ire pressures, check
that the current pressures on all four tires
correspond to the specified va lues and
adapt the pressures to the current load
c::> page 217 .
.,. Switch on the ignition.
.,. Select: the
I CARI fu nct ion button > Tir e pre s­
sure monitoring
> Store now . Or
.,. Select: the
I CAR I fu nction button > Car s ys­
tem s*
contro l butto n > Servicing & checks >
Tire p ressure monitoring > Sto re tire pres ­
sures
> Yes , store now .
(D Tips
Do not store the tire pressure if there are
snow cha ins on the tire. Otherwise, a sys­
tem malfunction may occur.
•
•