tires AUDI S3 SEDAN 2015 Owners Manual

M N
0 > co ,...., \!) ..,.,
..,.,
..,., ,....,
Adjusting the disp lay and the warning
tones .... .. .. .. .... .... ... .. .. .... . 121
Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Intelligent Technology . . . . . . . . . . 122
Notice about data recorded by the Event
Data Recorder and vehicle cont rol
modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Electronic stabilization control (ESC) . . . . 123
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Electromechanical steering . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
All wheel drive (quatt ro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
En ergy management 128
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Correct passenger seating positions..... 131
Driver's and front passenger's footwe ll . . 13 5
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Storing cargo correct ly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Safety belt s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Why use safety belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Safety belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Airb ag sy stem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Important information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Monito ring the Advanced Airbag System . 160
Knee airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Side curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
I mportant information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Securing child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
LATCH system (Lower anchorages and
tethers for children) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Additional information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Table of contents
Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . .
190
Checking and Filling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Diesel f uel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Catalytic co nverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
D ie sel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Selective catalytic reduction . . . . . . . . . . . 195
En gine compartm ent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Eng ine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 1
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Serv ice interval display
212
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Tire pressure monitoring system . . . . . . . 232
Care and cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23S
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23S
Cleaning and care information 236
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Emergency assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Luggage compartment lid emergency
re lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
General informat ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Equipm ent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Replacing wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Spare tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Fu se s and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
El ectrica l fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 8
Bulbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Emergency situation s . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Starting by pushing or towing . . . . . . . . . . 252
Starting with jumper cables . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Using jump start cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Towing with a tow truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Raising the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
3

Driving
Driving
General information
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) and
afterwards
The new engine needs to be run-in during the
first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) .
For the first 600 miles (1 ,000 k ilometers ):
.. Do not use full throttle.
.. Do not drive at engine speeds that are more
than 2/3 of the maximum permitted RPM .
.. Avoid high engine speeds .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to
1,500 kilometers):
.. Speeds ca n gradually be increased to the maxi­
mum perm issible road or eng ine speed .
During and after break-in period
.. Do not rev the engine up to high speeds when it
is cold. This applies whether the transmission is
in N (Neutral) or in gear .
After the break-in peri od
.. Do not exceed maximum engine speed under
any circumstances.
.. Upshift into the next higher gear
before reach­
ing the red area at the end of the tachometer
scale
opage 10.
During the first few hours of driving, the engine's
internal friction is higher than later when all the
mov ing parts have been broken in. How well this
break-in process is done depends to a cons idera­
b le extent on the way the vehicle is driven dur ing
the first 1,000 miles (1,500 kilometers).
0 Note
Extremely high engine speeds are automati­
cally reduced. However, these rpm limits are
programmed for an engine well run-in, not a
new engine.
@ For the sake of the environment
Do not dr ive with unnecessarily high eng ine
speeds -upshifting early saves fuel, reduces
noise and protects the environment.
70
· Driving through water on roads
Note the following to avoid veh icle damage when
driving through water, for example on flooded
roads:
- The water must not be any higher than the bot­
tom of the vehicle body .
- Do not dr ive faster than walk ing speed .
A WARNING
After driv ing through water or mud, the brak­
ing effect can be reduced due to moisture on
the brake discs and bra ke pads. A few careful
brake applications sho uld dry off the brakes .
(D Note
Vehicle components such as the eng ine,
transmission, suspension or electrical system
can be severe ly damaged by driv ing through
water .
(D Tips
- Determine the depth before driving through
water.
- Do not stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or
switch the engine off when driv ing th rough
water .
- Keep in mind that oncoming veh icles may
create waves that raise the water level and
make it too deep for your vehicle to drive
through safely.
- Avoid driving through salt wate r (corrosion).
Economical and environ­
mentally-friendly driving
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the
economy of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and
noise levels.
Fuel economy, env ironmental impact, and wear
on your engine, brakes and tires largely depend
on three factors :
- your personal driving style
- operating conditions
- technical limitations

M N
0 > co ,...., \!) ..,.,
..,.,
..,., ,....,
Trailer mode Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a tra iler, p lease remember that
the additiona l load will affect d urability, econo­
my and performance .
T railer towing not on ly places more stress on the
vehicle, it a lso calls for more concentrat ion from
the dr iver .
F or this reason, a lways fo llow the operating and
d riving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Traile r hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to the
gross trailer we ight. The hitch must be suitable
for your vehicle and trai ler and must be mounted
securely on the veh icle 's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use on ly a tra iler hitc h with a re­
movable ba ll mou nt. Always chec k w ith the t ra il­
e r hitch m anu fac tur er to make sure that you a re
using the co rrec t hitch.
Do not use a bumper hitch .
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not i nterfere wit h the impact -absorbi ng
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should b e
mad e to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
Fr om time to t ime, c hec k t hat a ll h itch mou nti ng
bo lts remain sec urely fastened .
When you are no t tow ing a trailer,
remove the
trai ler hitch ball mount . Th is prevents the hitc h
fr om caus ing damage should you r vehicle be
s truck from behind~,&. .
Trailer brakes
If yo ur tra iler is equipped w it h a braking system,
check to be s ure that it conforms to all regu la­
tions.
Trailer mode
T he trailer hyd raulic brake system must not be di ­
rect ly connected to the ve hicle's hydraulic b rake
system .
Safety chains
Always use s afe ty chains be tween your ve hicle
and the tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Tra ile r li ghts must meet all regulations. Be sure
to check w it h your Aud i dea le r fo r corr ect w irin g,
swi tches and relays.
Mirrors
If you a re unable to see the traffic behind you us­
i ng the regular o uts ide mirrors, then you
must in ­
sta ll extended mirrors .
It is importa nt that you
always have clea r vision to the rea r.
_&. WARNING
Afte r removing the trailer hit ch, d o no t store
i t in yo ur vehicle. In ca se of sudden br akin g,
the hitch could fly fo rward and inju re you or
your passengers.
Operating instructions
Maximum traile r weight
A trai le r fo r you r vehicle is limited to a typi cal
class 1 or class 2 trai le r.
Trailer load distribution
B e sure the load in the t raile r is held secure ly in
pla ce to p revent it from shift ing forward, back­
ward or sideways .
Never allow a pas senger to ride in a trailer~.&.
in Driving instructions on page 92.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the engine work harder . It
is important tha t the cooling system 's pe rform­
ance is up to the additional load. Make s ure that
the coo ling system has enoug h flu id.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your ve-
hicle to the cold tire pressure listed under "Full
lilJJ..
91

Trailer mode
load" on the label located on the driver's side B ­
pillar (visible when the door is open). Inflate
trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers'
specifications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure tra iler safety cha ins are properly connect­
ed from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle.
L eave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
ing corners. When you install safety chains, make
sure they will not drag on the road when you are
driving .
The chains should cross under the trai ler tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the hitch .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration .
To obta in the best poss ible handling of vehicle
and trailer, please note the following:
.,. Do not tow a loaded tra iler when your car itself
is not loaded.
.. Be especia lly careful when passing other
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limits .
.. Do not drive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trai ler with an empty car results
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight. If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easie r to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keeping the trailer as light as poss ible under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
92
tow vehicle while observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the more diff icult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
conditions are unfavorab le -particularly when
going downh ill.
Reduce veh icle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limits. In some areas, speeds for
vehicles towing tra ile rs are lower than fo r regular
vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
hill, shift int o a lo wer gear to use the eng ine
braking effect to slow the vehicle . Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fail.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge¢ page 12 must
be obse rved carefully. The coolant temperature
can increase if you dr ive on long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds . Reduce your speed
immediately if the LEDs in the top part of the dis­
play turn on .
For more information abo ut ind icator lights, re­
fer to. ¢
page 19 .
A WARNING
-
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not proper ly wearing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trai ler because of the additiona l weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will greatly depend on how careful-
ly you load your trailer and operate your r ig. ..,.

Assist
Assist Electronic speed limiter*
Applies to veh icles: with electronic speed limiter
Your vehicle may be factory equipped with ti res
that are rated for a maximum speed of 130 mph
(210 km/h) . T his is less than the maximum speed
of your vehicle . To reduce the risk of sudden tire
failure and loss of control if the vehicle is operat­
ed at excessive speeds, your vehicle also has an
electronic speed limiter. The electronic speed
limiter prevents your vehicle from going faster
than the tir e speed rat ing . For more information
~page 221.
If the engine control unit receives faulty vehicle
road speed signals, the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (MIL)
¢4 will illuminate . If this occurs,
contact the nearest a utho rized Audi dealer for as­
sistance .
A WARNING
Always observe the posted speed limits and
adjust your speed to suit prevailing road, traf­
fic and weather conditions . Never drive your
vehicle faster than the maximum speed rating of the tires installed.
Speed warning system
Introduction
The speed warning system helps you to stay un­
der a specified maximum speed.
-
The speed warning system warns you if you are
exceeding the maximum speed that you have set .
You will hear a warning tone when your speed ex­
ceeds the stored value by approximately 3 mph
(3 km/h) . Th e. (USA models)/. (Canada
models) indicator light and the message
Speed
limit exceeded!
appear in the instrument cluster
disp lay at the same time . The ./. indicator
light turns off when the speed decreases below
the stored maximum speed.
Setting a thresho ld is recommended if you would
like to be reminded when you re ach a certain
maximum speed. Situations where you may want
to do so include driving in a country with a gener-
94
al speed limit or if there is a specified maximum
speed for winter tires.
(D Tips
Regardless of the speed warning system, you
should always monitor your speed using the
speedometer and make sure you are following
the legal speed limit .
Setting the threshold
You can set, change and delete the threshold in
the MMI.
.. Select: the I MENU I button >Car> Systems*
contro l button > Driver assistance > Speed
warning.
You can set any threshold between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 150 mph (240 km/h) . Settings
can each be adjusted in increments of 6 mph
(10 km/h).
Cruise control system
· Description
Applies to vehicles: with cruise control system
The cruise control system makes it poss ible to
drive at a constant speed starting at 15 mph
(20 km/h).
The speed is kept constant by modify ing engine
power or through an act ive brake intervention.
A WARNING
- Always pay attention to the traffic around
you when the cruise control is in operation.
You are a lways responsible for your speed
and the distance between your vehicle and
other vehicles.
- For reasons of safety, cruise contro l should
not be used in the city, in stop-and-go traf­
fic, on winding roads and when road condi­ tions are poor (such as ice, fog, gravel,
heavy rain and hydroplaning) -you could
have an accident .
- Switch the cruise control off temporarily
when driv ing in turning lanes, highway exits
or in construction zones .
-

M N
0 > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
1.1'1
1.1'1
,....,
If th is indicator light turns on and stays on and
this message appears, the power steering may have failed .
Do
not continue driving. See an authorized Aud i
dea ler or autho rized Audi Service Facility for as­
sistance.
• Do not drive vehicle: steering defective
There is a malfunction in the electron ic steering
l ock. You cannot turn the ignition on .
Do
not tow your vehicle because it cannot be
steered. See an authorized Aud i dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Fac ility for assistance .
'-:r,ij Steering malfunction: you can continue driv­
ing
If the indicator light turns on, the steering whee l
may be more difficult to move or more sensitive
than usual. The steering wheel may also be at an
angle when dr iving straight.
Drive slow ly to an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thor ized Audi Se rvice Facility to have the ma l­
function corrected.
!II Steering lock: system fault! Please contact
Service
There is a malfunct ion in the electron ic steering
l oc k.
Drive to an authorized Aud i dealer or authorized
Aud i Service Facility immediately to have the
malfunction corrected.
_& WARNING
-
Have the system malfunction corrected as
soon as possible by an authorized Audi dealer
or authorized Audi Service Faci lity, as th is in­
creases the risk of an accident .
(D Tips
If
the . or ,-:r-n indicator light only stays on
for a short time, you may continue driving.
Intelligent Technology
All wheel drive (quattro)
Applies to vehicles: with all w heel drive
In all wheel drive, all four wheels are powered.
General information
In all wheel dr ive, the dr iv in g power is divided be­
tween all four whee ls . T his happens automatical­
ly depending on your driving behavior as well as
the current road conditions . Refer to¢
page 123,
Electronic stabilization control (ESC).
The all wheel drive concept is designed for high
engine power. Your vehicle is exceptionally pow ­
erfu l and has excellent driving characteristics
both under normal driving conditions and on
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre­ cautions
q ,& .
Winter tires
By using all wheel drive, your vehicle has good
forward motion with standard tires in winter con­
ditions. However, in winter we recommend using
winter or all season tires on
all four wheels, be­
cause this will improve the
braking effect .
Snow chains
If
there are snow chain laws, snow chains must
also be used on vehicles with all wheel drive
q page 230, Snow chains.
Replacing tires
For vehicles with all wheel d rive, only wheels wi th
the same rolling circumference should be used.
Avoid wheels with different tread depths
qpage 221.
Offroad vehicle?
Your Audi is not an offroad vehicle -there is not
enough ground clearance. For this reason, avoid
difficult terra in. Refer to¢
page 259.
_& WARNING ~
-Also, in vehicles with a ll wheel drive, adapt
your driving style to the current road and
traffic cond itions . Do not let the increased
safety provided tempt you into taking risks.
- The braking ability of your veh icle is limited
to the tract ion of the wheels. In th is way, it
127

M N
0 > co ..... \!) 1.1"1
1.1"1
1.1"1
.....
-Please observe information on safe driving
~page 130.
A WARNING
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas from
being drawn into the vehicle, always keep the
rear lid closed while driving .
- Never transport objects larger than those
fitting completely into the luggage area be­
cause the rear lid cannot be fully closed.
- If you absolutely must drive with the rear lid
open, observe the following notes to reduce
the risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the power roof*,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument pan-
el,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all windows,
the power roof* and the rear lid are securely
closed and locked to reduce the risk of injury
when the vehicle is not being used.
-After closing the rear lid, always make sure
that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended espe ­
cially with the rear lid left open . A child
could crawl into the vehicle through the lug­
gage compartment and close the rear lid be­
coming trapped and unable to get out. Be­
ing trapped in a vehicle can lead to serious
personal injury.
- Never let children play in or around the vehi­
cle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must al­
ways be properly restrained in one of the ve­ hicle's seating positions.
(D Tips
- Air circulation helps to reduce window fog­
ging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel. Be sure to keep these slots free and open.
Driving safety
-The tire pressure must correspond to the
load. The tire pressure is shown on the tire
pressure label. The tire pressure label is lo­
cated on the driver's side B-pillar. The tire
pressure label lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the vehicle at its
maximum capacity weight and the tires that
were on your vehicle at the time it was man­ ufactured. For recommended tire pressures
for normal load conditions, please see chap­
ter ~
page 224.
' Tie-downs
The luggage compartment is equipped with four
tie-downs to secure luggage and other items.
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo properly
~page 136, Loading the luggage compartment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that even
smaller items that are loose in the vehicle will
become heavy missiles that can cause serious in­
jury. Items in the vehicle possess energy which
vary with vehicle speed and the weight of the
item. Vehicle speed is the most significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed of
30 mph (48 km/h) , the forces acting on a 10-lb
(4.5 kg) object are about 20 times the normal
weight of the item. This means that the weight
of the item would suddenly be about
200 lbs. (90 kg). You can imagine the injuries
that a 200 lbs. (90 kg) item flying freely through
the passenger compartment could cause in a col­
lision like this.
A WARNING
-Weak, damaged or improper straps used to
secure items to tie-downs can fail during hard
braking or in a collision and cause serious per­
sonal injury .
- Always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
the luggage compartment to help prevent
items from shifting or flying forward as dan­
gerous missiles.
- When the rear seat backrest is folded down,
always use suitable mounting straps and
properly secure items to the tie-downs in
137

Tires and wheels
Tires and wheels
Wheels
General information
~check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, crac ks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob­
jects from the tire tread.
~ If driving over curbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap­
proach the curb at an angle.
~ Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
~ Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
~ Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled.
~Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as possible.
(D Note
-Please note that summer and winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical i n those seasons. Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
i ng the winter months. Low
temperatures significantly de­ crease the elasticity of summ­
er tires, which affects traction
214
and braking ability. If summer
tires are used in very cold tem­ peratures, cracks can form on
the tread bars, resulting in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be used in winter driving condi­
tions. The surface of the rims does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or similar
substances.
Tire designations
Fig. 168 Tire specification codes on the
sidewall of a tire .,_

M N
0 > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
1.1'1
1.1'1
,....,
(D Tires for passenger vehicles
(if applicable)
P indicates a tire for a passenger
vehicle. T indicates a tire desig­ nated for temporary use.
@ Nominal width
Nominal width of the tire be­
tween the sidewalls in millime­
ters. In general: the larger the number, the wider the tire.
@ Aspect ratio
Height/width ratio expressed as a
percentage.
© Tire construction
R indicates a radial tire.
® Rim diameter
Size of the rim diameter in inches.
@ Load index and speed rating
The load index indicates the tire's
load-carrying capacity .
The speed rating indicates the maximum permitted speed
¢ A in
Winter tires on page
229.
"EXTRA LOAD", "xl" or "RF" indi­
cates that the tire is reinforced or
is an Extra Load tire.
Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
ing
p
up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (160 km/h)
Tires and wheels
Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
ing
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 (149.13 mi/h)al
z above 149 mph (240 km/h)3l
w up to 168 mph (167.77 mi/h)al
y up to 186 mph (186 .41 mi/h)a)
a) Tire manufacturers sometimes use "ZR"
for tires with a maximum speed above
149 mph (240 km/h).
(j) US DOT number (TIN) and
manufacture date
The manufacture date is listed on
the tire sidewall (it may only ap­
pear on the inner side of the tire):
DOT ... 2214 ...
means, for example, that the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of
the year 2014.
@ Audi Original equipment
tires
Audi Original equipment tires
with the designation "AO" or "RO"
have been specially matched to
your Audi. When used correctly,
these tires meet the highest standards of safety and handling.
An authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility will
1111-
215

Tires and wheels
be happy to provide more infor­
mation .
® Mud and snow capabilit y
"M/S" or "M+S" indicates the tire
has characteristics that make it
suitab le for driving on mud and
snow.
& indicates a winter tire.
@ Compos ition of the tire cord
and materi als
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay­
ers in the tire. In general : the
more laye rs, the more weight a
tire can carry. Tire manufacturers
must also specify the materials
used in the tire. These include
steel , nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the maxi ­
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Uniform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature
resistance
Treadwear, traction and tempera­
ture ranges r:>
page 231.
@ Running direction
The arrows indicate the running
direction o f unidirectional tires .
216
You m ust always follow the speci­
fied runn ing direction
.:> page 245.
@ Maximum permitted
inflation pressure
This number indicates the maxi ­
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated under normal operat­
ing condit ions .
Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined we ight (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto­
matic transmission, power stee r­
ing, power brakes , power win­
dows, power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are available as fac to ry-in­
stalled equipment (w hether in ­
stalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the height to
the width of the tire in percent .
Numbers of 55 or lower ind icate a
low si dewall for imp roved steer­
ing response and better overa ll
handling on dry pavement . .,.