winter tires AUDI S3 SEDAN 2015 Owners Manual

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

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 . .,.

"XL" "xl" "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF" , , ,
on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire
or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the tire beads are seated.
Rim di ameter
means nominal diameter of the
bead seat. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to pur­
chase new tires to match the new rim diameter .
Rim size de signation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between
rim flanges.
Side wall
means that portion of a tire be ­
tween the tread and bead.
Speed rating (letter code )
means the speed at which a t ire is
designed to be driven for extend ­
ed periods of time . The ratings
range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)¢
table
on page 215.
You may not find
this information on all tires be­
cause it is not required by law .
Tires and wheels
The speed rating letter code,
where applicable, is molded on
the tire sidewall and indicates the
maximum permissible road
speeds
¢ .& in Winter tires on
page 229 .
Tire pressure mon itoring
system *
means a system that detects
when one or more of a vehicle's
tires are underinflated and illumi ­
nates a low tire pressure warning
telltale .
Tread
means that portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road .
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread
from the tire carcass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI )
means the projections w ithin the
principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See
¢ page 223, Treadwear indicator
for more information on measur­
ing tire wear .
219
...

Occupant loading and distri­
bution for vehicle normal load
for various designated seating
capacities
Refer to the tire inflation pressure
labe l
c:::> page 224, fig. 171 for
the number of seating positions .
Refer to the table
c:::> table on
page 226
for the number of peo ­
ple that correspond to the vehicle
normal load.
New tires or wheels
Audi recommends having all work on tires or wheels performed by
an authorized Audi dea ler or au ­
thorized Audi Service Facility.
These facilities have the proper knowledge and are equ ipped with
the required tools and replace­
ment parts .
.,,. New tires do not yet have the
opt imum adhesion properties .
Drive carefully and at moderate
speeds for the first 350 m iles
(500 km) with new tires .
.,,. Use tires of the same construc­
tion, size (rolling circumference)
and as close to the same tread pattern as possible on all four
wheels .
Tires a nd whe els
.,,. Do not replace tires individually.
At least replace both tires on the same axle at the same time .
.,,. Audi recommends that you use
Audi Original equipment tires. If
you would like to use different
tires, please note that the tires
may perform different ly even if
they are the same size
c:::> ,& .
.,,. If you would like to equip your
vehicle with a tire/rim combina­
tion that is different from what
was installed at the factory, con­ sult with an authorized Audi
dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility before making a pur­
chase
c:::> ..1,. .
The spare tire* is different from
the regular tires installed on the
vehicle -for example, if winter
tires or wide tires are installed -
then only use the spare tire* tem­
porarily in case of emergency and
drive carefully while it is in use. It
should be replaced with a regular
tire as soon as possible.
On
all wheel d riv e vehicles, all
four wheels must be equipped
with tires that are the same brand
and have the same construction
and tread pattern so that the drive system is not damaged by
22 1

M N
0 > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
1.1'1
1.1'1
,....,
be five 150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5
X 150) = 650
lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
ex­
ceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calculat­
ed in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehi­
cle. Consult this manual to de­
termine how this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
.,.Check the tire sidewall
(c> page 214, fig. 168) to deter­
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be clean and loosen/tighten
easily.
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim ring* or with bolted wheel
covers* consis t of mul tiple pieces. These compo­
nents were bolted together using special bolts
and a special procedure . You must not repair or
disassemble them
Q ,& .
Tires and wheels
A WARNING
Wheel bolts that are tightened or repaired in­
correctly can become loose and result in loss
of vehicle control, which increases the risk of
an accident . For the correct tightening specifi­
cation, refer to~
page 242, A~er changing a
wheel.
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads
in the wheel hub clean and free of grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that fit the rim.
-Always have damaged rims repaired by an
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Service Facility. Never repair or disassemble
rims yourself, because this increases the risk
of an accident.
Winter tires
Winter tires significantly improve the vehicle's
handling when driving in winter conditions. Be­
cause of their construction (width, compound,
tread pattern), summer tires provide less traction on ice and snow.
.. Use winter tires on all four wheels.
.. Only use winter tires that are approved for your
vehicle .
.. Please note that the maximum permitted
speed may be lower with winter tires
Q _& . An
authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Serv­
ice Facility can inform you about the maximum
permitted speed for your tires.
.. Check the tire pressure after installing wheels
Qpage 224.
The effectiveness of winter tires is reduced great­
ly when the tread is worn down to a depth of
0.157 inch (4 mm). The characteristics of winter
tires also decrease greatly as the tire ages, re­
gardless of the remaining tread.
A WARNING
-Never drive faster than the maximum per­
mitted speed for your tires. This could cause
the tires to heat up too much. This increases
the risk of an accident because it can cause
the tire to burst.
229

Tires and wheel s
-Always adapt your driving to the road and
traff ic conditions. Dr ive carefully and red uce
yo ur speed on icy or slippery roads. Even
winter tires can lose tract io n on black ice .
@ For the sake of the environment
Reinstall summer tires at the appropriate
time, because they provide better handling
when roads are free of snow a nd ice. Summer
tires cause less road noise, tire wear and fuel
consumptio n.
(D Tips
You can also use all season tires instead of
w inte r tires. Please note that in some coun­
t ries w here winter tires are requ ired, on ly win­
t er tire s wi th the .& symbol may be pe rm it­
t ed.
Snow chains
Snow chains improve traction in the snow .
.,. Only install snow chains on the front wheels.
Th is applies also to veh icles with all wheel
drive* .
.,. Ch eck and correct the seating of th e snow
c h ains if necessa ry afte r dri ving a few feet. Fo l­
l ow the ins tructions from the manuf acturer.
.,. Note t he max imum permit ted speed w hen driv ­
ing with snow chains . Do not exceed 30 mph
(SO km/h).
Snow chains not only improve the
driving in win ­
ter road conditions, but a lso t he
braking .
Use of s now chai ns is o nly pe rm itted with certa in
r im/t ire comb ina tion s due to techn ica l reason s.
Chec k w ith an au thori zed A udi d ealer or au tho r­
ized A udi Service Facility to see if yo u may use
snow cha ins.
Use
fine -mesh snow chain s. They mus t not add
mo re th an 0 .5 3 inch ( 13.S mm) in height, in clu d­
ing the chain lock.
You must remove the chai ns when dr iv ing on
roads tha t are
free of snow. W hen r oads are free
of snow, snow chains can imp air handling an d
230
'
damage the tires, and the chains wi ll quick ly be
dest royed.
A WARNING
Using incorrect snow chains o r insta lling snow
cha ins incor rectly can res ult in loss of veh icle
c o ntrol, which increases the risk of an acc i­
dent.
(D Note
- Snow chains can damage the rims/wheel
cove rs* if the c hains come into direct c on­
tact with them. Remove the wheel covers*
first . Use coa ted snow cha ins.
Low aspect ratio tires
Your A udi is fac to ry-eq uipped w ith low aspect ra­
t io t ires. These t ires have been thoroug hly tes ted
a nd been sele cted specifi ca lly f or your mode l for
the ir su perb pe rformance, r oad fee l and h andlin g
u nder a var iety of dr iv ing con ditions. As k your au ­
t h orized Aud i dea le r fo r more details .
The low aspe ct ratio of these tires is ind icated by
a n umer al of
55 or less in the t ire's s ize design a­
tion . The nume ral represents the ratio of the
ti re's si dewall height in relatio n to its tread width
expressed i n pe rcentage. Conventional tires have
a height/width rat io o f 60 o r more .
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tire s is par­
ticularly sensitive to imprope r inflation pres­
sure. It is therefore important that low aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure
and that the inflation pressure is regularly
checked and maintained. Tire pressures should be checked at least once a month and always
b efor e a long trip
Q page 224 .
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect rat io tires can be damaged mo re eas i­
l y by impact w ith potho les, c urbs , g ull ies o r
r idges on t he road, pa rti cularly if th e tire is un ­
der i nflated.

M N
0 > co ,...., \!) 1.1'1
1.1'1
1.1'1
,....,
In o rder to m inim ize the occu rrence o f impac t
damage to the t ires of your vehicle, we recom ­
mend that you observe the following precau ­
tions :
- Always maintain recommended in flat ion p res ­
s ur es . Check yo ur tire p ress ure every 2,000
miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary.
- Drive carefu lly on roa ds with potholes, deep
gul lies or ridges. The impact from driving
th ro ugh 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
tires or have them inspected by the nearest a u­
thorized Aud i dea ler . Replace a damaged tire as
soon as poss ible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2,000 miles (3 ,000 km)
for damage and wear. Damage is not always
easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of a ir and
underinflation, which cou ld eventually cause
t ir e fa il ur e.
If yo u be lieve that a ti re may h ave
been d amaged, rep lace the tire as soon as pos­
s ible.
= T hese tires m ay we ar m ore q uic kly than ot hers.
- Please a lso remember that, wh ile thes e tir es
deliver respons ive handling, t hey may ride less
c o m fort ably and m ake more noise t han other
cho ices .
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All t ires are des igned for cert ain purposes. The
l ow aspec t ratio, u ltra high per formance tires
originally insta lled on yo ur vehicle a re intended
for maximum dry and wet road perfo rmance an d
h andling. They are not suitable for cold, snowy or
icy weather cond it ions . If you drive under those
circumstances , you should equip your vehicle
w ith a ll-season or winter tires , which offer better
traction under those cond itions . We suggest you
use the re commended snow o r a ll-s eason t ires
specified fo r you r vehicle , or the ir eq uivalent.
Refe r to ¢
page 229 for mo re deta iled informa ­
tion regard ing winter tires .
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
Tires and wheels
- Traction AA A B C
- Temper ature A BC
Quali ty g rades can be found where applicab le on
t h e tire side wa ll between tread shoulder a nd
max imum sec tion wid th
~ page 214, fig . 168.
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA, Tem ­
perature
A.
All passenger car t ires must conform to Federa l
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades.
Tread wear
T he tread wear g rade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the t ire when tested
u nder contro lled c onditions on a specified gov­
ernment test course.
F or example, a tire gra ded 15 0 wo uld wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as we ll on the govern­
ment course as a t ire g raded 100.
T he re lative per forman ce of tires depends upon
t h e actual cond itions of thei r use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driv ing habits, service p ract ices and
differences in road c haracteristics and climate.
Traction
T he traction gra des, from highest to lowest, are
AA , A , Ban d
C. Those g rades represent t he tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement as meas ured un­
der contro lled conditions on specified govern­
ment test s urfaces of asphalt a nd c oncrete . A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance
~ A .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the t ire's resistance to the
generation of heat a nd its ability to diss ipate
heat when tested u nder cont ro lled conditions on
a spec ified indoor labora to ry test wheel.
Sustained h igh temperature can cause the mate­
ria l of the tire to degenerate and reduce ti re life,
and excess ive temperature can lead to s udden
t ir e fail ure¢ ,&. . .,,.
231