esp AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK 2014 Manual PDF

224 Check ing and filling
Have the battery checked when you take your
vehicle in for service. You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than 5 years .
W ith certa in types o f airbag deployment, the
battery is disconnected from the vehicle elec ­
trica l system for safety reasons¢
& in Re­
pair, core and disposal of the airbags on
page 158.
Disconn ecting the battery terminal s
Some vehicle functions (power w indow regu­
l ators, for example) are lost if the battery ter­
minals are disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are
connected again. To prevent this, the battery
should only be disconnected from the vehicle
e lectrical system when absolutely necessary
for repairs .
Vehicles not driven for l ong period s
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­
nents are gradually cut back or switched off.
This reduces energy consumption and main ­
tains starting capab il ity over a longer period
¢
page 195. Some of the convenience func­
tions may not operate, s uch as the inte rior
lights or power seat adjus tment. The conven­
ience f unctions will be available again when
you switch on the ignition and start the en­ gine.
Winter operation
D uring the winter months, ba tte ry capaci ty
tends to decrease as tempe rat ures d rop . This
is because more powe r is also consumed while
starting , and the headlights, rear window de­
fogger, etc., are used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, par­
ticular ly in c ity traffic or when t raveling on ly
short distances. Let you r authorized Audi
dea ler check the capacity of the vehicle bat ­
tery before winter sets in
¢ page 226. A we ll
charged battery w ill not only prevent starting
prob lems when the weather is cold , but w ill
also last longer .
(D Tips
If your vehicle is left standing for seve ral
weeks at extremely low temperatures, the
vehicle battery sho uld be removed and
stored where it w ill not freeze . This will
prevent it from be ing damaged and having
to be replaced .
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery.
The battery is located in the luggage compart­
ment under the floor. Before you check any­
t hi ng in the luggage compartment,
read and
heed all WARNINGS
¢ ,& .
Always heed the safety warnings , when work­
ing on the vehicle battery or the vehicle e lec­
trical system to prevent inju ry.
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery :
Al ways heed the follo wing WARNING SYM -
BOLS and safety precautions when working
on the battery .
®
Always wear eye prote cti on.
&
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid.
Always wear glove s and eye protec-
tion.
@
No
- spa rks
- flames
- smoking.
£
When a battery i s charged, it produ-
ce s hydrogen gas which is e xplosi ve
and could cau se personal injury.
@
Alwa ys k eep the battery well out of
rea ch of children .
_&. WARNING ~
Whenever working on t he battery o r on
the electrical system, there is the risk of
i njury, accident and even fire . Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
-

CD Note
Never use a fast charger as a booster to
start the engine. This will seriously dam­
age sensitive electronic components, such
as control units, relays, radio, etc., as well
as the battery charger .
Battery replacement
The new battery must have the same specifi­
cations and dimensions as the original equip­
ment battery .
Intelligent energy management in your vehi­
cle is respons ible for distributing the electri­
cal energy throughout your vehicle
c::> page 195. The intelligent energy manage­
ment system w ill keep the engine battery
charged bette r than vehicles w ithout t his sys­
tem. To make sure the additional electr ica l en­
ergy is available once again after you have
changed the battery, we recommend that you
install batteries of the same type and manu­
facture only (the same as those installed at
the time your vehicle was delivered). Specifi­
cations are listed on the battery hous ing. Your
author ized dealer must code the battery in
the energy management system to enable you
to use the energy management functions cor­
rectly after replac ing the battery.
The new battery must have the same capacity,
voltage (12-volts), amperage, const ruct ion
and p lug sealing.
When installing the battery, make sure the ig­
n ition and all electr ical consumers are sw itch­
ed off .
CD Note
Make sure the ventilation hose on the s ide
of the battery is connected, otherwise
fumes or battery ac id can leak out.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the problem of proper d isposal
of a battery, we recommend your author­
ized Aud i dealer change the battery for
you . Batteries contain su lfuric ac id and
Checkin g and fillin g 22 7
lead and must always be disposed o f prop­
erly in compliance with a ll environmental
regulations. Disposing of vehicle batter ies
i mproperly is very dangerous to the envi­
ronment .
Windshield/headlight*
washer container
Fig. 194 Engine compart ment: cover on th e windshield
and headl ig ht* washer fluid reservo ir
The washer fluid conta iner is marked w ith the
symbol~ on its cap
c::> fig. 194, c::>page 215,
fig. 188.
.,. Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, always read and heed all
WARNINGS c::> &. in Working in the engine
compartment on page 213.
.. Lift the filler cap tongue to add washer flu­
id. You can f ill the container to the top .
.. Press the cap back onto the fi ller neck after
filling the container.
You can find the reservoir
capacity in the table
in
c::> page 271.
Clean water should be used when filling up. If
possible, use soft water to prevent scaling on
washer jets. Always add a g lass cleaner solu­
tion (with frost protection in the winter).
([) Note
Do not mix engine coolant antifreeze or
any other additives to fill up the wind­
shield washer reservoir .
•
•

228 Tire s and wheel s
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle .
Tires may be the least appreciated and most
abused parts of a motor vehicle . Tires are,
however, one of the most important parts of a
vehicle, particularly considering the compara­
tive ly small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that all -impo rtant contact between
you, your 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 safe ly han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
reg ularly inspecting t ires for damage includ­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and ove rall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid sudden tire failure in­
cluding tread separation and blowouts.
A voidin g damage
I f you have to drive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very s low ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chem ica ls includ ing grease, o il,
gasoline and b rake fluid off the ti res.
Inspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
St oring tires
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . Th is ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
install t hem.
When removed, the wheels or t ires should be
stored in a cool, dry 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. New tire
s
New t ires have to be broken in¢&,. .
T he 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 often not readily
vis ible . If you notice unusual v ibrat ion or the
vehicle p ulls to one side, th is may ind icate
that one of the t ires has been damaged . Th e
t ir es m ust be checked immed iate ly by an au ­
tho rized Aud i dea le r or q uali fied wor kshop.
Unidirectional t ires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sidewa ll, that po int in the direc­
t ion the t ire is designed to rotate. You must
fol low the specified d irection of rotation . This
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road no ise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information
¢page 259.
A WARNING
-New tires or tires that are old, worn or
damaged cannot provide maximum con­
trol and braking ability .
-
-New tires tend to be slippery and must
be broken in . To reduce the risk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in jur ies, d rive w ith 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 blowou t and sudden de­
fl ation, c rashes and seriou s personal in­
juries . Have wo rn or damaged t ires re­
p laced immediate ly .
- T ires age even if they are not being used
and can fai l sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith specia l care and at low
speed.

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
yo u are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when d riving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age .
(D Note
Please note that summe r and wi nte r tires
are designed for the cond itions that are
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those sta ndard items which may be rep laced)
of au toma tic transmission, power steer ing ,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the rat io o f the height to the w idth of
the tire in percent . Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
dicate a low sidewall for improved steering re­
sponse and better overa ll handling on dry
pavement .
Bead
means the part of the t ire t hat is made o f
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead .
Cord means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Tire s an d wheel s 229
typica l in those seasons . Aud i recommends
using winter tires during the winter
months . Low temperatures signif icant ly
dec rease the e lasticity of summer t ires,
which affects tract ion and brak ing ability.
If summer t ires are used i n very co ld tem ­
peratures, cracks ca n form o n the tread
bars , res ulting in perma nen t tire damage
that can cause loud driving noise and un­
bala nced ti re s. Audi i s not respon sible for
th is type of damage .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the t ire p ress ure recommended by t he
vehicle manufacture r fo r a tire o f a des ignated
s ize t hat has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le o f miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire press ure
is m easured or adjusted.
Curb weight
me ans the we ight of a motor ve hicle with
st andard equipmen t incl ud ing the max imum
capacity of fuel, oi l, and coolant, air condi ­
tioning and additional weig ht of optiona l
equipment.
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to oper ate a t higher load s
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standa rd tire . Extra load tires may
be identified as "XL", "x l", "EXTRA LOAD", o r
"RF" on the sidewal l.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
me ans the load-ca rry ing capac ity of a single
axle system , measured at the tire -ground in­
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
mea ns the maximum total loaded we ight of
the ve hicl e. .,..
•
•

230 Tires and wheels
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs .
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a given inflation pressure. You
may not find this informat ion on all tires be­
cause it is not req uired by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a t ire at the max i­
mum permissible inflation pressure for that
tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity we ight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure
to which a tire may be inflated. Also called
"maximum inflation pressure ."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the
number of occupants seated in the vehicle up
to the total seating capacity of your vehicle .
Occupant distribution
means distribution of occupants in a vehicle.
Outer diameter
means the overa ll diameter of an inflated new
tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteri­
ors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire, includ­
ing elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands o r ribs .
Ply
means a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those insta lled
regular production options weighing over 5
lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard items
which they replace, not previously considered
in curb weight or accessory we ight, including
heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special tr im .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumat ic tire in which the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at substan­
t ia lly 90 degrees to the center line of the
tread .
Recommended inflation pressure
see<=> page 229, Cold tire inflation pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a t ire design to operate at higher loads
and at h igher inflation pressures than the cor­
responding standa rd tire. Reinforced tires
may be identified as "XL" "xl" "EXTRA LOAD"
' ' '
or "RF" on the sidewa ll.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Rim diameter
means nom inal diameter of the bead seat. If
you change your wheel s ize, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the new rim di­
ameter.
Rim size designation
means r im diameter and width .
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges.
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the
t read and bead.

232 Tires and wheels
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating
capacities
Designated seating capacity, Vehicle normal load , number Occupant distribution in a nor -
number of occupants of occupants mally loaded vehicle
4 2 2 i
n front
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
Fig. 195 T ire press ure label : located on driver's side B·
pillar
Tire pressure genera lly refers to the amount
of air in a t ire 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 kilopasca ls (kPa), the i nterna·
tional measur ing unit and in pou nds pe r
squa re inc h (PSI). Tire pressure is based in
p art o n the vehicle's design and load limit -
the greatest amount of weight that the vehi·
cle can carry safe ly and the t ire size . The prop·
er tire pressure is freq uently referred to as the
"recommended cold tire inf lation pressure."
A ir in the tires expands when the tire heats up
because of internal frict ion when it flexes in
use . The t ire p ressu re is higher when the tire
has wa rmed up tha n when it is "cold ." It is the
in flat ion pressu re i n a "cold" tire that counts.
Therefore, you shou ld neve r let air ou t of a
warm tire to match " co ld tire infl ation pres­
sure" recommendations . The t ires wo uld then
be underinflated and could fail suddenly .
M ain taining p roper t ire pr essu re is one of the
most im po rt an t th ings you can do to he lp
avoid sudden tire failure. Underin fla ted t ires
a re a ma jo r cause of s udden tire failure. Keep·
i n g tires at the right pressure is also impor­
tant for safe and responsive vehicle handling,
-U'>
-
---------------------- ,;
•(=~= I: I::... 1)§ :l!: n-...,....,....,~ ...... ~-...,..., ..... _ ... U ........ ~-·~N.-..-.we..... .... lllt-
-AVANT ...,.
-...... .. _
-KPA. a PSI
- KPA.
a PSI
-KPA. a PSI
Fig. 196 Ti re pr essure labe l
SEE OWNEJICS MANUA1 FOA A,DOITl<>N.IU. INfORMATlON VOIR L£ MANUll DUPR0ftlET""" P"OUR i-t.US DE RENSEIGMEMENfS
traction, braking and load carrying. Tire pres­
sures are particularly important when the
vehicle is being driven at higher speeds, and
then especially when heavily loaded even
within the permissible load-carrying capaci­
ties approved for your vehicle .
The recommended tire pressures for your Audi
depe nd on the kind of tires o n your ve hicle
and the numbe r of passe ngers and/o r amount
of luggage you w ill be t ransporti ng .
The tire pressure label is located on the driv­
er 's side B-pillar . The tire pressure labe l lists
the recommended cold t ire inflat io n press ures
for the vehicle at its maximum capac ity
weight and tires t hat were o n your veh icle at
t h e time it was m anufactur ed .
If you wish to improve comfort wh en operat­
ing the vehicle at normal load (up to 2 occu­
pant s), you can ad just tire pre ssure s to tho se
specified f or normal vehicle load . Before op­
erating the vehicle at maximum load, you
mu st increase the ti re pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
~ ,&. .
Bear in min d that the tire pressure mon itor ing
system ca n only moni to r the tire pressures .,.

Tires an d wheel s 233
you have stored. The system does not recog ­
nize the load condition of your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the ti re pressu re monitor­
ing sys tem w ill be impaired if you store no r­
mal load pressures but then operate the vehi ­
cle at its maximum load¢,& .
See the illustration ¢
fig. 195 for the location
of the label on dr iver's side B-pillar (color of
the actual labe l and exact location on the ve­
hicle wi ll vary slig htly) .
Note that the fo llowing tab le is accurate at
the t ime o f go ing to press and is subject to
Model/ Tire de
signation
c h ange. In the event of discrepancies, the ti re
pressure label is located on the driver's side B­
pillar always takes precedence .
T he table below lists the recommended cold
ti re inflat ion pressures for the Audi mode l
covered by your Owner's Literat ure at the vehi­
cle's capacity weight and the t ire sizes instal­
l ed on the respective models as orig inal
equipment, or as a factory option.
Tire pressure
Engine normal load condition full load condition
(up to 2 occupants )
front r ear front rear
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
RS 7 275/35 R20 102V XL
36 2S0 30 210 39 270 39 270 Sportback: High P erformanc e
4.0 lit er
275 /30 R21 98V XL
a -cy linder
High Performance
41 280 38 260 45 310 4S 3 10
X L = r einfor ced or extra load tir e. It ma y al so appear a s xl , EXTRA LOAD, or RF on th e tire side -
w all.
Because tec hnical changes may be made to
ve hicl e equ ipment dur ing the model yea r, a l­
ways compare the tire s ize designation on the
tire pressure label on your vehicle with the
tires on your vehicle . Make s ure that the tire
size information on the vehicle label is the
same as the s ize of the t ires on the vehicle.
This is especially important if the vehicle be­
longs to someone else or you bought the veh i­
cle with different rims/tires or you bought the
veh icle as a previously owned vehicle.
Remember, your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on mak ing sure that
load limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
ve hicl e. These load limits are technically refer­
r ed to as the vehicle's G ross Vehicle We ight
Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross Ax le Weight Rat­
ing ("GAWR") is the maximum load that can
be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles .
The Gross Vehicle We ight Rating and the G
ross Ax le Weig ht Rating are listed on the
sa fety comp liance sticke r label lo cated on the
driver's side B-pillar . The tire pressu re labe l on
your A udi lists the maximum combined
weight of all of the occ upants and luggage o r
other cargo that the veh icle can carry. For the
location of the t ire pressure label ¢
fig. 195.
A WARNING
-Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve-
h icle contro l, a crash or other accide nt, se­
rious personal injury, and even death.
- Carrying more we ight than your veh icle
was des igned to carry will prevent the
veh icle from handling properly a nd in­
crease the risk of a loss of vehicle con­
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
veh icle w ith in a safe distance.
•
•

-Turn the valv e stem cap counter-clockwise
to remove it from the tire valve.
- Place the air pressure gauge on the valve.
- The tire pressures should only be checked
and adjus ted when the tires are cold . The
s li ght ly raised p ressures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
- Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are
carrying .
- Re insta ll the va lve stem cap on the valve.
When should I che ck the tire pres sur e?
The correct tire pressure is espec ially impor­
tant at high speeds. The pressure should
therefo re be checked at least once a month
and a lways before start ing a journey.
When should I adjust the tire p re ssure s?
Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are
carry ing . After changing a wheel
o r replacing
wheels you have to adjust the tire pressures
on all wheels. In addition , you must then
store the new ti re pressu res in the t ire pres ­
sure monitoring system
r::!.> page 246 .
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinf la­
tion can lead sudden tire failure, loss of contro l, collision, serious persona l injury
or even death.
- When the warning symbo l
[ti] appears in
the instrument cl uster, stop and inspect
the tires.
- Incorrect tire pressure and/or underinfla ­
t ion can cause increased tire wear and
can affect the handling of the veh icle and
stopp ing ability .
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can also lead to sudden tire fa il­
ure, including a blowout and sudden de ­
flation, causing loss of vehicle control.
- The driver is responsible for the correct
tir e pressures fo r all t ires on the vehicle .
T he applicable pressu re va lues are locat­
ed on a stic ker on the drive r's side B-pil­
lar .
- Only when a ll t ires on the vehicle are fi l­
led to t he cor rect pressure, the ti re p res-
Tire s an d wheel s 235
sure monitor ing system can work cor­
rectly.
- The use of incorrect tire pressure va lues
can lead to acc idents or other damage.
Therefore it is essential that the driver
observe the spec ified t ire pressure values
for the tires and the correct pressures for
the function of the t i re p ress ure monito r­
ing system .
- Always inf late t ires to the recommended
a nd correct t ire p ress ure before dr iv ing
off.
- Driving with unde rinflated tires bend
mo re, lett ing t hem get too hot resulti ng
in tread separation, s udden tire failure
and loss of cont ro l.
- Excess ive speed and/overloadi ng can
cause heat b uild- up, sudden tire failure
a nd loss of cont rol.
- If the tire pressure is too low or too high,
the t ires will wear prema turely and the
veh icle w ill not handle well.
- If the tire is not fla t and you do not have
to ch ange a wheel immedia tely, drive a t
red uced speed to the nearest service sta ­
tion to check the t ire p ress ure and add
air as requi red.
(D Note
Dr iving w it h out valve stem c aps can c ause
damage to the tire valves . To prevent this,
a lways make sure that factory insta lled
va lve stem caps on all whee ls are sec urely
mounted on the valve .
@ For the sake of the env ironment
Un derinflated tires wi ll also increase the
fuel consumption .
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or
weight that any vehicle and any tire can carry.
A vehicle that is overloaded will not handle
well and is mo re d iff icult to stop. Overloading
can not o nly lead to loss of vehicle control,
but can also damage important parts of the
vehicle and c an le ad to sudden tire fa ilu re, .,..
•
•

238 Tires and wheels
symbols) indicate the positions of the tread
wear indicators. Worn tires must be replaced. Different figures may apply in other countries
c::> & .
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire p ressure causes premature wear
and can cause sudden tire blow-out. For this
reason, tire pressure must be checked at least
once a month
c::> page 234.
Driving style
Driving fast around curves, heavy acceleration
and hard braking increase tire wear.
Rotating tires for more even wear
For all four tir es on your vehicle to have the
same se rv ice life, we recommend that the
front and rear tires are rotated according to
the tire manufacturer's suggested tire rota­
tion intervals. Please remember the follow­
ing:
- T ire rotation inte rva ls may differ from the
vehicle serv ice intervals outlined in your
Warranty
& Maintenance booklet.
- T he longer one tire is used in one location
on the vehicle, the more it wears at certa in
points; therefore, we recommend that you
follow the tire manufacturer's suggested
tire rotation intervals.
- Vehicles with front-wheel drive experience
more tread wear on the front whee ls com­
pared to all-whee l drive (quattro).
- Please rotate ti res as shown
c::> fig. 198.
-Extra care must be taken when rotating di-
rection-specific tires
c::> page 2 59.
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced .
Ho wever, various situations during everyday
driving can cause them to become unbal­
anced, resu lting in vibrations you can usually
feel through the steering wheel.
Unba lanced wheels must be rebalanced to
avoid excessive wea r on steering, suspension
and tires . A wheel must a lso be rebalanced
when a new tire is installed. Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect
wheel alignment can cause exces­
sive tire wear, impairing the safety of the vehi ­
cle. If tires show excessive wear, have the
wheel alignment checked by an a uthorized
Audi dealer or qualified workshop.
All-wheel drive
Vehicles with quattro must always have tires
of the same size, construction and tread type.
For details see
c::>page 195.
_8 WARNING
-Sudden tire fa ilure can lead to loss of con-
trol, 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 t ires are a safety hazard, they do
not grip well on wet roads and increase
your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of
control.
- Always keep chemicals that can cause
tire damage, such as grease, o il, gasoline
and brake fluid away from tires.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fai l suddenly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 yea rs
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith specia l care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used tires on your veh icle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." O ld used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire fai lure
and loss of vehicle control.

manufacturers also must indicate the materi­
als in the tire, which include steel, nylon, pol­
yester, and others.
M ax imum Load R atin g
This numbe r indicates the maximum load in
kilograms and pounds that can be carried by
the tire.
Tire qualit y gra ding for treadw ear,
t ract ion , and temp erature r esistanc e
Tread wear , traction and temperature g rades
¢ page 242.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressur e
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that sho uld ever be put in the ti re
under normal driving conditions.
_& WARNING ,...__._
- Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/
or whee ls or improper tire and whee l
combinations can lead to loss of contro l,
co llision and serious persona l injury.
- Always use tires, rims and wheel bo lts
that meet the specifications of original
factory-installed tires or other combina­ t ions that have been spec ifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manufacturer.
- 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 su re of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used ti res may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to s udden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- All four wheels must be fitted with radia l
tires of the same type, size (rolling cir­ c u mference) and the same tread pattern.
Driving with different tires red uces veh i­
cle handling and can lead to a loss of
control.
Tire s an d wheel s 241
-If the replacement tire is not the same as
the t ires that are mounted on the veh icle
- for example with winter tires - only use
the replacement tire for a short per iod of
time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road whee l as soon as safely pos­
sible.
- Never drive faster than the max imum
speed for which the tires on you r vehicle
a re rated because tires that are dr iven
faster than thei r rated speed ca n fa il
suddenly .
- Ove rloading tires ca use heat build-up,
sudden tire fa ilure, including a blowou t
and sudden deflation and loss of cont ro l.
- Temperature grades apply to ti res that
are properly inflated and not over or un ­
derinf lated .
- F or technical reasons it is not always
possible to use whee ls from other
vehicles -in some cases not even whee ls
from the same veh icle mode l.
- If you install wheel trim discs on the ve ­
hicle wheels, make sure that the air flow
to the brakes is not b locked. Reduced air­
flow to the brakes can them to overheat, increas ing stopping d istances and caus­
ing a co llision.
- Run flat tires may only be used on
veh icles that were equipped with them
at the factory . The veh icle must have a
chassis designed for run flat tires . Incor­
rect use of ru n flat ti res can lead to vehi­
cle damage or accide nts. Che ck with an
author ized Audi dealer or tire spe cialist
to see if your vehicle can be eq uipped
with run flat tires . If run flat tires are
used, they must be installed on all four
wheels. Mixing tire types is not permit­
ted.
@ Note
- For technical reasons, it is not generally
possible to use the wheel rims from oth­
er veh icles. Th is can hold tr ue for wheels
of the same vehicle type. .,..
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