tires AUDI S4 2015 Owner's Guide

248 Tires and wheels
New tires and replacing
tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to
be broken in.
Fig. 193 Tire specification codes on
the sidewall of a tire
No. Description
CD Passenger car tire (where
applicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in
millimeters
@ Ratio of height to width
(aspect ratio)
© Radial
® Rim diameter code
® Load index and speed rat-
1ng
(j) U.S. DOT tire identifica -
tion number
No. Description
® Audi Original tire
® Sever snow conditions
@ Tire ply composition and
materials used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and
temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible in-
flation 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 characteristics of the vehi­
cle and can make a major con­
tribution to good road holding and safe handling when in good
condition and properly inflated
¢ A .
We recommend that all work
on tires and wheels be per­
formed by an authorized Audi
dealer. They are familiar with recommended procedures and
have the necessary special tools
and spare parts as well as the
proper facilities for disposing of
the old tires.
Authorized Audi dealers have
the necessary information

about technical requirements
for installing or changing t ires
and rims.
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be replaced at least in pairs and not individu ­
ally (for example both front
tires or both rear tires togeth­ er) .
Be sure to read and heed the in­
formation to the tire pressure monitoring system*
¢ page 257.
Always buy replacement radial
tires that have the same specifi­
cations as the tires approved
for your vehicle by Audi. Re­
placement tires must always
have the same load rating spec­
ification as the original equip ­
ment or approved optional tires
listed in the table¢
page 234.
Audi-approved specification
tires are specially matched to
your vehicle and its load limits and can contribute to the im­
portant roadholding, driving
characteristics, and safety of
the vehicle. The table ( ¢
page 234) lists specifica­
tions of the tires approved for
I
Tires and wheels 249
the Audi models covered by
your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure label located on driver's side B-pillar
( c::> page 234J fig. 190) lists the
specifications of the original
equipment tires installed on
your vehicle at the time it was
manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manu­
facturers to place standardized information on the sidewall of
all tires
¢fig. 193. This infor­
mation identifies and describes
the fundamental characteris­
tics, the quality grade of the
tire and also provides a tire identification number for safety
standard certification and in
case of a recall.
Tire specifications
Knowledge of tire specifications
makes it easier to choose the
correct tires. Radial tires have
the tire specifications marked on the sidewall , for example:
P255 / 35 R19 96V XL
This contains the following in-
formation: ..,..
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'

250 Tires and wheels
p Indicates the tire is for pas-
senger cars (where applica- ble)
255 Nominal tire width in mm
of the tire from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the num-
ber, the wider the tire
35 Height/width ratio in per-
cent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
19 Rim diameter code (in in-
ches)
96 Load rating code
Y Speed rating letter code
XL (or "xl" "EXTRA LOAD" or , 1
"RF" Indicates that the tire is
a"Reinforced" or an "Extra
Load" tire
M+S (or "M/5") Indicates that
the tire has some mud and snow capability
The tires could also have the in-
formation of direction of rota-
tion
c:::> page 228.
Tire manufacturing date
The manufacturing date is also
indicated on the tire sidewall
l ) For t ires with a maximum speed ca­
pability ov er 149 mph (240 km/h) ,
tire manufacturers sometimes use
the letters "ZR."
(possibly only on the inner side
of the wheel):
"DOT ... 2214 ... " means, for
example, that the tire was pro-
duced in the 22nd week of
2014.
Speed rating (letter code)
The speed rating letter code on
the wheels indicates the maxi -
mum permissible road speeds
c:::> A in Winter tires on
page 255.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
s up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
u up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)1
)
z over 149 mph (240 km/h)1)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)1
)
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)1)
Your vehicle is normally factory
equipped with tires, which pos-
sess excellent driving character- istics and give your Audi
....

Tires and wheels 251
optimum driving comfort. An tires because they meet the •
electronic speed limiter highest standards regarding • '
¢ page 30 will normally pre-
safety and driving characteris-
vent your vehicle from going tics when used correctly . Your
faster than the tire speed rating authorized Audi dealer will ¢
&,. . gladly provide you with more
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
information.
Number (TIN) and tire
Tire ply composition and
manufacture date materials used
This is the tire's "serial num-The number of plies indicates
ber" . It begins with the letters
the number of layers of rubber-
"DOT" and indicates that the coated fabric in the tire. In gen-
tire meets all federal stand -
eral, the greater the number of
ards. The next two numbers or plies, the more weight a tire
letters indicate the plant where can support. Tire manufactur-
it was manufactured, and the ers also must indicate the ma-
last four numbers represent the terials in the tire, which include
week and year of manufacture. steel, nylon, polyester, and oth-
For example , the numbers
ers.
2214 mean that the tire was
Maximum Load Rating
produced in the 22nd week of
2014. The other numbers are This number indicates the max-
marketing codes that may or imum load in kilograms and
may not be used by the ti re pounds that can be carried by
manufacturer. This information the tire.
is used to contact consumers if
Tire quality grading for
a tire defect requires a recall. treadwear, traction, and
Audi Original tire temperature resistance
Tires with the identification
Tread wear, traction and tern-
"AO " or "RO" have been special- perature
grades¢
page 254.
'"" N
ly matched with your Audi. We 0 ::.,: co ,....,
recommend using only these \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,

252 Tires and wheels
Maximum Permissible
Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest
amount of air pressure that
should ever be put in the tire
under normal driving condi­
tions.
.&_ WARNING
-Using incorrect or unmatch­ ed tires and/ or wheels or improper tire and wheel
combinations can lead to loss of control, collision and
serious personal injury.
-Always use tires, rims and wheel bolts that meet the
specifications of original
factory-installed tires or
other combinations that have been specifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manu­
facturer.
-Tires age even if they are
not being used and can fail
suddenly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more
than 6 years old can only be used in an emergency and
then with special care and
at lower speeds.
-Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of their "previous
histo­
ry." Old used tires may have
been damaged even though
the damage cannot be seen
that can lead to sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle
control.
-All four wheels must be fit­ ted with radial tires of the
same type, size (rolling cir­
cumference) and the same
tread pattern. Driving with different tires reduces vehi­
cle handling and can lead to
a loss of control.
-If the spare tire is not the
same as the tires that are
mounted on the vehicle -for
example 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 rat­
ed speed can fail suddenly.
-Overloading tires cause heat build-up, sudden tire fail ­
ure, including a blowout
..

and sudden deflation and loss of control.
-Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly in­
flated and not over or un ­
derinflated.
-For technical reasons it is not always possible to use
wheels from other vehicles_ 1n some cases not even
wheels from the same vehi­
cle model.
-If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels
I
make sure that the air flow
to the brakes is not blocked.
Reduced airflow to the
brakes can them to over­
heat, increasing stopping
distances and causing a col­ lision.
-Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were
equipped with them at the
factory. The vehicle must have a chassis designed for
run flat tires and a factory­
installed tire pressure moni­
toring system* that indi­ cates a loss of tire pressure.
Incorrect use of run flat
tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents. Check
Tires and wheels 253
with an authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to
see if your vehicle can be
equipped with run flat tires.
If run flat tires are used
I
they must be installed on all
four wheels. Mixing tire types is not permitted.
(D Note
-For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to
use the wheel rims from
other vehicles. This can hold
true for wheels of the same
vehicle type.
-If the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted on your vehicle
(for example winter tires or
wide profile tires), then use
the spare tire for a short pe­ riod of time only and drive
with extra care. Replace the
flat tire with the tire match­ ing the others on your vehi­
cle as soon as possible.
-Never drive without the valve stem cap. The valves could get damaged.
I),
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254 Tires and wheels
@ For the sake of the environment
Dispo se of old tires in accord­
ance with the local require­
ments.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- T raction AA A B C
- T empera ture ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire side wa ll between tread shou lder
and max imum sect ion width
¢ page 248,
fig. 193.
For example: Tread wear 200, Tract ion AA ,
Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Feder­
al Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a spec ified
government test course .
For example, a t ire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (1 1/2) t imes as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relat ive performance of t ires depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how­
ever, and may depart significantly from the norm due to var iations in dr iving habits, serv­
ice practices and differences in road character­
istics and climate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, Band
C. Those grades represent the
tire's abil ity to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled cond it ions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
trac tion performance ¢&,. .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi­
pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and red uce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure
¢ &,..
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform ­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand­
ard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es ­
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive load ing, either
separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Winter tires -
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice . At temperatures below 45 °F
(7 °C) we recommend changing to winter
tires .
In some heavy snow areas, local governments
may require true winter or "snow" tir es, those
with very deeply cut tread . These tires should
only be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels. Make sure you purchase snow
tires that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on your vehicle. .,.

"" N
0 ::.,: co ...... \!) 1.1'1
...... 1.1'1 ......
Your vehicle is equipped with all whee l drive,
this will improve traction during winter driv­ ing, even with the standard tires. However, we
strongly recommend that you a lways equ ip a ll
four wheels on your veh icle w ith correctly fit­
ted wi nte r tires or all -season tires, when w in ­
ter road conditions are expected. This also im­
p roves the vehicle 's braking performance and
reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and
snow .
W inter tire s (snow t ires) must always be fitted
on all four wheels.
Ask your authorized Audi dea ler o r qualified
workshop for permitted
w inter t ire sizes. Use
only radia l winter tires .
Winte r ti res lose thei r effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .15 7 inch
(4 mm) .
On ly drive with winter tires under winter con­
d itions. Summer tires hand le better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45
°F (7 °().
If yo u have a flat tire, see notes on spare
wheel ¢ page 248 .
Pl ease always remembe r th at w inte r ti res may
have a lower speed rating tha n the t ires origi­
n all y ins talled on your veh icle at the t ime i t
was manufactured . Please see ¢ page 250,
Speed roting (letter code) for a Listing of the
speed rat ing letter codes and the maximum
speed at wh ich the t ires can be driven .
The speed rating letter code( ¢ page 232) is
on the side wall of the tire ¢ page 248.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max­
imum speed. Always know the maximum
speed befo re driving off . Never drive faster
than the speed permitted for your specific
w inte r tir es . This will cause damage to the
ti res leading to an ac cident and se rious
pe rsonal i njury to you and yo ur p assen­
gers .
Tire s an d wheel s 255
A WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your ve hicle
were designed can cause t ire fail ure in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,
l oss of cont ro l, crashes and ser ious per­
sona l injuries. Have wo rn or damaged ti res
replaced immedia tely.
- Wi nte r tires h ave maxim um speed ra ting
that may be lower than yo ur vehicle 's
maxim um speed.
- Never d rive fas ter than the speed for
whi ch the w inter or othe r ti res installed
on yo ur vehicle are rated.
A WARNING
=
A lways ad just yo ur driving to t he roa d and
traffic conditions. Never let the good ac­
celeration of the winter tires and a ll wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks. Al­
ways remember:
- When braking, an all wheel drive vehicle handles in the same way as a front drive
veh icle.
- Drive carefully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even w inter t ires
cannot help under black ice conditions.
@ For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are qu ieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumpt ion.
Snow chains
-
Snow cha ins may be fitted only to the fro nt
whee ls, and on ly to certain tire sizes . Ask your
autho rized Aud i dea le r o n whi ch tire sizes
snow chains can be used.
The snow chains must have low-p rofile links
and must not be th icker than
0 .53 inch
(13 . 5 mm) , in cl ud ing t he lo ck.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putt ing snow cha ins on your veh icle
¢ 0 . For safety reasons cover caps must then ..,.
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256 Tires and wheels
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are
available from authorized Audi dealers.
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehi­
cle or installing them incorrectly can in­
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes. Always make sure to follow the in­
structions provided by the snow chain
manufacturer .
- When driving with snow chains never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations .
- Remove snow chains before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wearing the snow
chains down unnecessarily .
- Snow chains, which come into direct con­
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it . Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitably covered . Check
the position of the snow chains after
driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sary. Follow the instructions from the
snow chain manufacturer when doing so.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory oncer­
tain roads, this normally also applies to
vehicles with all wheel drive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
corr ect torque.
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
factory installed rims. If different rims are fit­
ted, the correct wheel bolts with the right
length and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted
secu rely and that the b rake system functions
correctly . In certain circumstances, you may not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model ¢
page 285.
A WARNING "--
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel
bolts can become loose causing loss of
control, a collision and serious personal in ­
jury .
- Always keep the wheel bolts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bolts can turn easily and be prop­ erly tightened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the wheel hubs. They can become loose while driving if greased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specified
torque.
- Only use wheel bolts that belong to the
rim being installed .
- Never use different wheels bolts on your
vehicle.
- Always maintain the correct tightening
torque for the wheel bolts to reduce the
risk of a wheel loss. If the tightening tor­
que of the wheel bolts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi­
cle is moving. If the tightening torque is
too high, the wheel bolts and threads
can be damaged and the wheel can be­
come loose.
Q) Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is
90 ft lbs. (120 Nm) with a tolerance of
± 7,4 ft lbs. (± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts
diagonally . After changing a wheel, the
torque must be checked as soon as possi ­
ble with a torque wrench -preferably by an
authorized Audi dealer or qualified work­
shop .
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect
ratio tires. These tires have been thoroughly
tested and been selected specifically for your model for their superb performance, road feel ..,.

'"" N
0 ::.,: co ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
and handling under a variety of driving condi­
tions . Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these tires is indicated
by a numeral of
55 or less in the tire's size
designation. The numeral represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relation to its
tread width expressed in percentage . Conven­
tional tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more .
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires is
particularly sensitive to improper inflation
pressure. It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified
pressure and that the inflation pressure is
regularly checked and maintained. Tire pres­
sures should be checked at least once a
month and always before a long trip
¢ page 239, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more
easily by impact with potho les, curbs, gullies
or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is
underinflated .
In order to minimize the occurrence of impa ct
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation
pressures. Check your tire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if neces­
sary .
- Drive carefully on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t hr ough or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
t ir es or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer. Replace a damaged
t ir e as soo n as possible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2,000 miles (3,000
km) for damage and wear . Damage is not al­
ways easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, wh ich could eventu-
Tires and wheels 257
ally cause tire failure. If you believe that a
tire may have been damaged, rep lace the
tire as soon as possib le.
- These tires may wear more quickly than oth­
ers.
- Please also remembe r that, while these tires
deliver responsive handling, they may ride
less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold
season conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires or iginally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for maximum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling. They are not suitable
for cold, snowy o r icy weather conditions. If
you drive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehi cle w ith all-season or
winter tires, which offer better traction under
those conditions. We suggest you use the rec ­
ommended snow or a ll-season tires specified
for your vehicle, or their equivalent .
Refer to¢
page 254 for more detailed infor­
mation regarding winter tires.
Ti re pressure
monitoring system
ill General notes
Applies to vehicles: with tire pressure monitoring system
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when cold and in ­
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the veh icle manufacturer on the veh icle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a d ifferent size than the
s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in ­
flat io n pressure label, you should determine
the proper t ire inflation pressu re for those
tires).
As an added safety feature , your veh icle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon itoring
system (TPMS) that illum inates a low ti re
pressure te llt ale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. .,.
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