rims AUDI S3 2009 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: AUDI, Model Year: 2009, Model line: S3, Model: AUDI S3 2009Pages: 324, PDF Size: 76.02 MB
Page 96 of 324
Seats and storage
-Plu g in ap plia n ce to be us ed.
The ou tlet may be used for 12-volt app liances with maximum
consumption of up to 100 watts, such as a flash light , smal l vacuum
cleaner, etc .
Before you purchase any accessories, always read and follow the
inf orm ati on i n
=> page 305 , "Addi tiona l ac cess ories and parts
replacement" .
& WARNING
The outlet plu s any appliances plugged into it remain functional
even if the ignition is switched off or the ignition key is removed .
Ne ver leave children inside the vehicle without supervi sion .
0 Note
To avoid damaging the socket, only use p lugs that fit properly .
[ i ] Tips
When the engine is off and accessories are sti ll plugged in and are
on, the vehicle batte ry can sti ll be d rained .•
Storage
General overview
There are numer ous pl aces to store items i n your ve hicle.
Storage in the front arm rest
Storage in t h e rear ar m res t
=> page 87
Glove compart ment (A ir v enti lati on i n t he ::::> page 95
glove compartment*, CD changer *) Cent
er console
Compartments in the door trims
S to ra ge in the f ootwe ll
=> page9 5
=> page96
=> page96
Compartments in luggage compartment => page 97
Some of the s torage locations are only found on specific veh icle
models or are optional equ ipment .
& WARNING
• Always remove obje cts from the in strument panel. Any items
not put away could slide around inside the vehicle while driving or
when a ccelerating or when applying the bra kes or when driving
around a corner .
• When you are driving make sure that anything you may have
placed in the center console or other storage locations cannot fall
out into the footwells . In case of sudden bra king you would not be
able to brake , depress the clut ch or accelerate .
• Any pie ces of clothing that you have hung up mu st not interfere
with the driver's view. The coat hooks are designed only for light
weight clothing . Never hang any clothing with hard , pointed or
heavy objects in the pockets on the coat hooks . During sudden
bra king or in an accident -especially if the airbag is deployed -
these obje cts could in jure any passengers inside the vehicle. •
Page 98 of 324
Seats and storage
Compartments in the door trims
There are storage compartments in the door trims.
& WARNING
Fig. 103 Storage
compartment in the
door trim
Always read and heed all WARNINGS => page 165, ulmportant
safety instructions on the side airbag system". •
Applies to vehicles: with storage net in footwe ll
Storage net in footwell
There is a storage net in the passenger's footwell.
Fig. 104 Storage net in
passenger's footwell
[ i ] Tips
Do not keep any sharp or pointed objects in the storage net -they
are a personal injury risk.•
Appl ies to vehicles: with storage net in the front seatbac ks
Storage net in the seatbacks
There is a storage net behind both front seatbacks.
[ i ] Tips
Fig . 105 Storage net
on the driver's seat
back
Do not keep any sharp or pointed objects in the storage net -this
increases the risk of personal injury .•
Page 213 of 324
____________________________________________ _:C ::,: l~ e :,: a~ n:....:..:..: in~ g~ a~n .:.:d:!...! p~ r ~o~ te~ c~t ~io ~ n'...._ __
•
The best way to remove snow from windows and mirrors is to use a
brush . Use a non -abrasive
pla stic ice scraper -better still, a spray
deicer -to remove
ice from w indows and mirrors .
The windows must not be cleaned with insect remover or wax since
these can inter fere with the function of the w inds hie ld w iper blades
(chatter).
Oil, grease o r sil icone residue can be removed with
glass cleaner or
s ilicone remover . However, wax residue requires the use of a
spec ially fo rmulated so lvent . Please contac t your authorized Audi
dea ler for advice on safe products for wax removal.
Windows should also be c leaned on the inside at regular interva ls .
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted surfaces . Wax residue on the chamois can impair vision
t hrough the windows .
& WARNING
• The windshield mu st not be treated with water -repellent mate
rials. T hey c an incre ase gl are under poor v isibility conditions such
a s wetne ss, darkne ss, or when the sun i s low on the hori zon. In
addition , they can cause the wind shield wipers to chatter .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 206.
0 Note
• Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from
windows a nd mirrors . This cou ld cause the glass to crack.
• T o prevent damage to the wires of the rear defogger, do not p lace
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires .
• T o he lp prevent dirt from scratching the window, always scrape
in a forward direction -pushing the scraper away from you -never
back and forth. •
Weatherstrips
Complete car car e includes the we atherst rip s as well .
App ly a suitable rubbe r con ditioner to the weatherstr ips
f ro m time to time.
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid, etc . must remain pliabl e. Spray the weatherstrips with sili
co ne or coat them w ith ta lcum powder or glycer ine to retain the
f lexibility of the rubber and to protect them against freezing in the
winte r.
& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 206.
[ i ] Tip s
Keep si licone sprays off the windshield to avoid wiper smear in
ra in .•
Ap plies to veh icles : with s tee l w hee ls (e .g . if ref itt e d w ith w inter tires )
Steel wheels
The wheels also h ave to be cleaned.
- Alw ays in clu de the hu b caps and whee l rims when
washing yo ur vehi cle to remove road dir t, sal t sprays an d
b rake dust.
If necessary, use a commercial whee l cleaner to remove accumu
lated brake dust.
The wheel rims are eas ier to keep clean if they are reg ula rly coa ted
with l iquid wax . ..
Vehicle care I t •
Page 214 of 324
-Cleaning and prot
ection
-~--------------
Paint scratches should be touched up as soon as possible to prevent
corrosion => page 210, "Touch -up pain t" .
& WARNING
• Moi sture and i ce on brak es may affect b raking efficiency -
=> page 193 , "Gene ral inform ation ". Te st the brakes caref ully a fter
e ac h veh icle was h.
• Alway s read and heed all WARNING S and t he infor mation
=> page 206. •
App lies to vehi cles : w ith Cast a lloy whee ls
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
- Wash the wheels with a spo nge or hose brush every
o ther week .
- For deep cleaning afte rwards, use only a dedicated
a cid
free
cast alloy whee l cleaner.
- Rub a coat of
liquid wa x onto the rims every t hree month .
Be sure to reach and treat all parts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy wheels,
some special care is necessary. In addition to road dirt and salt, brake dust is also corrosive . If left on for too long, brake dust can
cause pitting.
Use on ly specia l acid -free cleaners formu lated for a lloy rims . Safe
products are available at your authorized Audi dealer. Never leave
the cleaner on the rims longer than specified on the label. If not rinsed off promptly, the acid contained in some cleaners can attack
t he threads on the wheel bolts. Never use abrasive or metal po
lishing cleaning agents . If the protec
t ive coating has been chipped, e.g . by kicked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as possib le.
& WARNING
• Moisture a nd ice on br akes m ay affect braking efficien cy
=> page 193, "Gen eral inf or mation ". Te st the brake s carefully each
ti m e you wa sh th e vehi cle .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other informa tion
=> page 206 . •
Body cavity sealing
T he body cavity se aling does not need to be checked.
All body cavities which could be affected by corrosion have been
thorough ly protected a t the factory .
This sealing does not require any inspection or additional treat
ment . If any wax should seep out of the cavi ty when the amb ient
temperature is high, it can be removed with a p lastic scraper and a
suitable solvent .
& WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous .
• Ben zin e is flamm able and to xic. If you use b en zi ne for re moving
the wax, keep spark s, flame and lighted cigarette s away . Never
dump ben zine on the ground , into open st ream s or do wn sewage
dr ain s.
• Be sure to ob serve all safet y and env ironmental regul atio ns .
Follow all in stru ction s on the c ont ainer .
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and ot her info rm ation
=> page 206 . •
Page 245 of 324
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•
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particularly considering the comparative ly sma ll patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all- important contact
between you, your vehicle and the road .
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regu lar ly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts , slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
b lowouts .
Avoiding dama ge
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstacle, drive very slow ly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls includ ing grease, oil, gasoline and brake
f luid off the tires.
I nspec t the tires regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blis ters, etc.l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota
tion . This ensu res you to be ab le to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
St ore t ires in a vertical posit ion if they a re not mounted on rims, in
a horizontal position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in~&.
The tread dep th of new tires may va ry, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
Hidden d ama ge
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusua l vibration or the vehicle pul ls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immed iately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire ction al tir es
A unidirectio nal tire can be iden tif ied by arrows on the s idewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must follow
the specified direction of ro tation . This is necessary so that these
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydroplaning resistance . For more information
~ page 279.
in. WARNING
Ne w tire s or tire s that are old , worn or damaged cann ot pro vide
m aximum cont rol and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slippe ry and m ust be broken in . To redu ce
the risk of losing control, a colli sion and seriou s per sonal injurie s,
drive with speci al care for t he fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving with worn or damaged t ire s can lead to lo ss of co ntrol ,
s udd en tire failure , in clu ding a blowout a nd sudden deflation , .,,_
Vehicle care
I t •
Page 251 of 324
________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lJlll
•
Engin e Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load normal load
ment in full load
full load
liter ) c
ondit ion (up to
condition c
ondition (up
condition
3 occupants ) to 3 occupants)
PSI PSI kPA PSI kPA kPA
6-cylinder 225/45 R1 7 94H XL All Season 39 41 280 230 41 280
3 .2
225 /45 R17 94V XL High Performance
36 250 38 260 30 2
10
38 260
225 /40 R18 92H XL All Season
4 1 280 44 300 36 250 44 300
225 /40 R18 92V XL High Performance 41 280 44 3 0 0 36 250 44 30 0
Compact spare wheel T125 /70 R18
60 420
60 420
60 4
20
60 420
XL=
reinforced o r extra load tire . It may also appear a s xi , EXTRA LOAD, or RF on t he ti re s id ewa ll.
The correct tire pressure fo r t he spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver's side B-pi llar or inside th e fuel filler flap .
Beca use technical change s may be ma de to vehicle equip ment
during the mode l year, always compare the tire size designat ion on
the tire p ressure label on your vehic le with the ti res on you r vehicle.
Make sure that the tire size informat ion on the veh icle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . T his is especially impor
t ant if the veh icle belongs to someone else or you bough t the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ
ousl y owne d ve hicle.
Remember , your safety and that of your passengers a lso depends
o n mak ing s ure tha t loa d limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehic le. These load
limits are technical ly referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ( "GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two
a xl es . T he Gross Vehic le W eight Rat ing and the Gross A xle Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker labe l located
ei the r on the driver's s ide B -pi ll ar or on the i nside of the fuel fill er
flap . T he tire pressure labe l on your Audi lists the maximum
co mbined weig ht o f all of the occupants a nd luggage or oth er ca rgo that t
he ve hicle can carry . For the locatio n of the ti re p ressure la bel
=> page 247, fig. 180.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident , serious personal injury, and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle wa s designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handl ing properly and increase the
ri sk of a loss of vehicle control .
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance .
• Tires on a vehi cle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
cau sing loss of control and a crash.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehi cle heavier than the
vehicle 's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. _,.
Vehicle care
I t •
Page 258 of 324
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
0
©
G)
@
U.S. DOT tire identification number
Audi Original tire
Tire ply composition and materials used Maximum load rating
Treadwear, traction and temperature grades Maximum permissible inflation 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 char acteristics of the vehicle and can make a major contribution to good
road holding and safe handling when in good condition and prop
erly inflated =>& .
We recommend that al l work on tires and wheels be performed by
an authorized Audi dealer . They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary special tools and spare parts as
we ll as the proper facilities for disposing of the old tires .
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about tech
nical requirements for insta lling or changing tires and rims .
Rep lac ing t ires a nd w heels
Tires should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (for
example both front tires or both rear tires together) .
Be sure to read and heed the tire pressure monitoring system*
information :::>
page 257.
Always buy replacement radial tires t hat have the same specifica
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi . Replacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
original equipment or approved optional tires listed in the table
=>
page 247.
Audi -approved specification tires are specially matched to your
vehic le and its load limits, and can contribute to the important road- holding, driving characteristics, and safety of the vehicle
. The table
( =>
page 247) lists specifications of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure label located either on driver's side 8 -pi llar or
inside the fuel fi ller flap( =>
page 247, fig. 181 l lists the specifica
tions of the original equipment tires installed on your vehicle at the
time it was manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized infor
mation on the sidewa ll of all tires=>
page 255, fig. 184. This informa
tion identifies and describes the fundamenta l characteristics, the
quality grade of the tire and also provides a tire identification
number for safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
T ire s pec ific ation s
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the
correct tires. Radial tires have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewal l, for example:
P 22 5 / 45 R 17 91H XL
This contains the following information:
P Ind icates the tire is for passenger cars (where applicable)
2 25 Nominal tire width in mm of the tire from sidewall edge to s ide -
wall edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire
45 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
17 Rim diameter code (in inches)
91 Load rating code
H Speed rating letter code
XL (or "xi", "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF ") indicates that the tire is "Rein
forced" or an "Extra Load" tire
M +S (or "M/S"l Indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capa
bility
The tires cou ld also have the information of direction of rotation
=>
page 243 .
Page 259 of 324
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•
T ire manu fact uring da te
The manufacturing date is a lso indicated on the tire sidewall
(possibly only on the
inner side of the wheell:
"DOT ... 2207 ... " means, for example, that the tire was produced in
the 22nd week of 2007 .
Speed ratin g (let te r cod e)
The speed rating letter code on the wheels indicates the maximum
permissible road speeds=>
& in "Winter tires" on page 260.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R upto106mph(170km/h)
S upto110mph(180km/h)
T upto118mph(190km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H upto 130mph(210km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)6>
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)6>
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)6>
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)61
Your vehicle is normally factory equipped with tires, which possess
excel lent driving characteris tics and give your Audi optimum
driving comfort. An e lectronic speed limiter=> page
21 will normally
prevent your vehicle from going faster than the tire speed rating
=> & .
U.S . D OT T ire Ident ifi cation Nu mber (TIN ) and tire
m anu fac ture date
This is the tire's "seria l number" . It begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets all federal standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac-
61 For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph (240 km/h), tire
manufacturers sometimes use the letters "ZR."
ture. For example, the numbers 2207 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22nd week of 2007. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or may not be used by the tire manufac
turer. This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Audi Origin al tire
Tires with the identification" AO" or "RO" have been specially
matched with your Audi. We recommend using only these tires
because they meet the highest standards regarding safety and
driving characteristics when used correctly . Your authorized Audi
dea ler will glad ly provide you with more information .
Maximum L oad Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Tir e qu ality gra din g for tr eadw ear, trac tion, a nd
t emper atu re resi stan ce
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades=> page 259.
Max imum P ermi ssibl e Inf latio n Pre ssure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under normal driv ing conditions .
Repla cing tires or rims on vehicl es equipp ed with tir e
pre ssure monit oring sy stem *
The wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constant ly monitors the air pressure ins ide the t ire, and then trans
mits this information to the tire pressure monitoring system *. If you
are going to replace the wheel rims on your vehic le, make sure the
new rims also have these sensors . The sensors must be compatible
with the tire pressure monitoring system* on your veh ic le.
If you instal l rims that do not have the sensors or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring
system* wil l not work properly. In this case, the tire pressure moni -..
Vehicle care I t •
Page 260 of 324
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
toring system* would not be able to monitor the tire pressure or
warn yo u if it is n ece ssa ry .
• The battery inside of t he ti re pressure sensor has a l imited
service life.
• Always driv e with the valv e stem caps s ecurely mount ed. We
r ecomme nd u sing fact ory insta lled valve s tem caps . As k your autho
rized Audi d ealer to replace lost va lve stem caps.
T he installation of rep lacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
the t ir e si dewa ll may caus e malf unc tio n of th e tir e pre ssure mo ni
toring system*, and is not recommended (cord material informat ion
in mo lded o n th e tire s idewa ll).
Always check your tire pressu re monitoring system* indicator after
r eplacing one o r more tir e s on yo ur veh icle . If the ti re p ressure
monito ring sy ste m* in dicato r flas hes or is illum inated, you r syste m
is not working p ro perl y. Yo ur replacement ti re might be incompat
i b le with you r tire p ressu re mo nitoring sys tem*, or some compo
nent of the tire pressure monitori ng system* may be damaged.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and I 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 specifica
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved 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 sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
& WARNING (continued)
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driving
with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle - for e xample with winter tires - only use the spare
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 rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up , sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control .
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chnical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked. Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory-installed tire pressure monitoring
system * that indicates a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or t ire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat tires are used, they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,
Page 261 of 324
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•
0 Note
• For technical reasons, it is not genera lly possible to use the
whee l rims from other vehic les. This can hold true for wheels of the
same vehic le type.
• If the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
on your vehicle (for example winter tires or wide p rofile t ires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time only and drive with extra
care. Rep lace the flat tire with the tire matching the others on your
vehicle as soon as possible.
• If you put d ifferent wheels and tires on your veh ic le (e.g. w inter
whee ls and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and tires are
compatible with the tire p ressure monitor ing system*. Otherwise
the system wi ll register a malfunction and a fau lt message wil l be
displayed. For more infor mation, contact your author ized Audi
dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new tires, be carefu l not to damage the va lves or
t ire p ressu re mon itoring system* sensors .
• Never drive without the va lve stem cap. The va lves could get
damaged.
• I f the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
replaced at t he same t ime.
Dispose of o ld tires in accordance with the local requ irements .•
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C Qua
lity grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall
b etween tread shoulder a nd maximu m section width =>
page 255,
fig. 184.
For example : Tread wear 200, Traction AA , Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federa l Safety Require
ments in addit ion to these grades.
T read wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate
o f t he tire when tes ted under contro lled condit ions on a specified
government test course.
F o r example, a tire g raded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1 /2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual condi
tions o f the ir use, however, and may depart sign ificantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ
ences in road characterist ics and c limate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, Band C.
Those grades represent the tire 's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under contro lled cond itions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor t raction performance =>& .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, represent ing
the tire 's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissi
pat e heat when tested u nder con tro lled co nditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high tempera ture can cause the material of t he ti re to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure=>& .
The grade C corresp onds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federa l Motor Vehicle
Vehicle care I t •