wheel size AUDI S4 CABRIOLET 2009 Owners Manual

Using the rocker switch, you can select the menus in the display or
change settings. A cursor appears on the left in front of the selected
values .
By pressing the [Reset] button, you activate the selection you made
or confir m the values you set.
Sel ecte d funct ions are identified with
a check mark or are carried out directly.
Meanings of the symbo ls in the display:
Selection bar Selected function
> Cursor
Check mark
D
Box
-
Meaning
Current Selection
Selected o r Function
active
Not selected
Triangle pointing up Previous page
Triangle pointing down
Next page
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Tire pressure monitoring system
App lies to vehicles: with tire pressu re mon itoring system
General notes C.. ~
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
month ly when cold and inflated to the inflat ion pressure recom­
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inf lation pressure label. ( If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres ­
sure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
Controls and equip ­
ment
•
Driv er inf ormati on di spl ay
pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significant ly
under -inflated. Accord ingly, when the low tire pressure tel ltale illu ­
minates, you shou ld stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure . Driving on a significan tly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure . Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehic le's handling and stopping ability .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte­
nance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct t ire
pressure, even if under -inflation has not reached the leve l to trigger
il lumination of the TPMS low tire pressure te lltale .
Your veh ic le has a lso been equipped w ith a TPMS malfunction indi­
cator to indicate when the system is not operating properly . The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire p ressure
telltale . When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale wil l
flash for approx imately one minute and then remain cont inuously
il luminated . This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start -ups as long as the malfu nction exists.
When the ma lfunction indicator is illuminated , the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons , including the
insta llation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning prope rly . A lways
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or whee ls on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
p roper ly .•
App lies to ve hic les : with tire pressu re mon ito ring system
Introduction
The tire pressure m onitoring system monit ors air pressure
in all four road wheels while t he vehicle is moving.
As soon as the tire pressure monitoring system senses a significant
loss of air pressure in one or seve ra l tires, text messages and yellow
~

___ ln_ te_ ll..,,ig ..,_ e_ n_t _t_ e_ c_ h _ n_o _ l_o _,.g= y,_ __________________________________________ _
• If the power steering system should fail entirely, or if the engine
is not running (for example, while being towed), you will still be able
to steer the vehicle . However, considerably more effort will be
required to do so.
• If the power steering system should have a leak, or is not func­
tioning properly, contact your authorized Audi dealer immediately.
• The power steering system requires a specially formulated
hydraulic fluid. The power steering reservoir is the one located most
forward on the left side of the engine compartment=> page 251. The
correct fluid level in the reservoir is important for proper func­
tioning of the power steering. •
Driving with your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four wheels are driven.
General information
With All Wheel Drive, power is distributed to all four wheels. This
happens automatically depending on your driving style and the
road conditions at the time. See also=> page 213, "Electronic differ­
ential lock (EDU".
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehicle with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even with regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-season tires) for improved
driveability and braking: these tires must be mounted on
all four
wheels.
See also => page 284, "Winter tires".
Snow chains
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
also applies to vehicles with all -wheel drive => page 285, "Snow
chains".
Replacing wheels/tires
Vehicles with All Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
size. Also avoid tires with different tread depths. For details see
page => page 279, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Off-Road driving?
Your Audi does not have enough ground clearance to be used as an
off-road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid rough tracks and
uneven terrain as much as possible. Also refer to=> page 221.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by the all-wheel drive tempt you into
taking extra risks.
• Although the quattro®all-wheel drive is very effective, always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at excessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road surfaces, be careful not to drive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (hydro­ planing). If this should occur, you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front-wheel drive
vehicle. Always drive at speeds which are adjusted to the road conditions -risk of crash! •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Contact a dealership if you would like to replace damaged whee l
cove rs.
& WARNING
Never loo sen the screws on rim s with threaded rim rings* -danger
of accident!
& WARNING
New tires or tires that are old , worn or damaged cannot provide
maximum control and braking abil ity .
• New tires tend to be slippery and must be broken in. To reduce
the risk of losing control , a collision and serious per sonal injurie s,
drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km ).
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the co mbined we ig ht (in excess o f those standar d ite ms
which may be rep laced) of automatic transmission, power stee ring,
power b rakes, power win dows, power seats, ra dio, a nd heater, to
the extent that these items are avai lab le as factory- installed equip­
m ent (w hether i nstalled or not).
Aspect ratio
means the ratio o f the he ight to t he wid th of the t ire in perce nt.
N umbers of 5 5 or lower indicate a low sidewall for improved
steer ing respo nse and bette r overall handl ing on dry pave ment.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of stee l wires, wrapped or
reinforced by p ly cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Driving with worn or damaged tires can lead to loss of control,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflat ion ,
crashes and serious personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
e specially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergen cy and then with special care and at
low speed.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "p revious history. " Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that c an lead to sudden
tire failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driv ing , always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Bead separation
m eans a brea kdow n of the bond be tween compo ne nt s in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the tire .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recommended by the vehic le manufacturer
fo r a tire of a des ig nated size tha t h as not bee n dr iven for more than
a coup le of mi les (ki lometers) at low speeds in the three hour period
b ef or e the ti re pressu re is mea sured o r adj usted. _,,

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Rei nf orced tire
means a tire designed to operate at higher loads and at higher inf la ­
tion pressures then the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced
tires my be identified as "XL",
"xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the
sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the t ire beads are seated.
R im di am eter
means nomina l diameter o f the bead seat. If you change your wheel
size, you wi ll have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam­
eter.
R im size des ig nati on
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges .
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating (le tter code )
means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time . The ratings range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h)
to 186 mph (298 km/h)~
page 281. You may not find this informa­
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law .
The speed rating letter code, where appl icable, is molded on the tire
sidewal l and indicates the maximum permissible road speeds~
&
in "Winter tires" on page 284 .
Tire pres su re m onitoring s yste m*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are underinflated and i lluminates a low tire pressure warning te ll­
tale .
Trea d
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road .
Trea d se parati on
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass .
Treadw ear indi cato rs (TWI)
means the projections within the princ ipal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See
~ page 278, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more informatio n on
measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Q uality Gra ding
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N HTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The U TQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire wil l last for a
prescribed number of miles or perform in a certain way. It simply
gives tire buyers additiona l information to combine wit h other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dea ler recommen­
dations. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in
three areas: treadwear, traction and temperature resistance . The
UTQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewalls.
U.S . D OT T ir e Ident ifi ca tion Num ber (T IN )
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins with the le tters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federa l 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
ture. For example,
D OT ... 2 209 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2009 . The
other numbers are marketing codes that may o r may not be used by
the tire manufacturer . This information is used to contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll. -.,

-Tires and wheels
P'U:1-------------------
warmed up than when it is "cold." It is the inflation pressure in a
"cold" tire that counts. Therefore, you should never let air out of a
warm tire to match "cold tire inflation pressure" recommendations .
The tires would then be underinflated and could fail suddenly.
Maintaining proper tire pressure is one of the most important
things you can do to help avoid sudden tire failure. Underinflated
tires are a major cause of sudden tire failure. Keeping tires at the
right pressure is also important for safe and responsive vehicle
handling, traction, braking and load carrying.
Tire pressures are
particularly important when the vehicle is being driven at higher
speeds, and then especially when heavily loaded even within the
permissible load-carrying capacities approved for your vehicle .
The recommended tire pressures for your Audi depend on the kind
of tires on your vehicle and the number of passengers and/or
amount of luggage you will be transporting.
On USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's
side B-pillar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located
either on the driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap. The tire
pressure label lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the vehicle at its maximum capacity weight and tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
If you wish to improve comfort when operating the vehicle at
normal load (up to 2 occupants), you can adjust tire pressures to
-
those specified for normal vehicle load. Before operating the vehicle
at maximum load, you must increase the tire pressures to those
specified for maximum vehicle load
=> & .
If your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system *,
bear in mind that the system can only monitor the tire pressures you
have stored. The system does not recognize the load condition of
your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the tire pressure monitoring system will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehicle at its maximum load=>&.
See the illustration =>
page 271, fig. 207 for the location of the label
either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slightly).
Note that the following table is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change. In the event of discrepancies, the tire
pressure label (either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler
flap) always takes precedence .
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi model covered by your Owner's Literature at the
vehicle's capacity weight and the tire sizes installed on the respec­
tive models as original equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine
(displace­
ment in liter) Tire designation
Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
4-cylinder
2.0 215/55 R16 93H All Season
235/45 R17 94H All Season
235/45 R17 94Y High Performance
235/40 R18 95Y XL High Performance
normal load
condition (up to
2 occupants)
PSI
33
33
30
36
kPA
230
230
210
250
full load
condition
PSI
35
35 33
42
II kPA
240
240
230
290
normal load
condition (up
to 2 occupants)
PSI
30
30
30
36
JI kPA
210
210
210
250
11 full load
condition
PSI
38
38
33
42
JI kPA
260
260
230
290
I

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
Engine 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
2 occupants ) to 2 occupants)
PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
6 -cylinder 215 /55 R16 93H All Season 35 240
38 260
30 2
10
38 260
3.2
235/45 R17 94H All Season 35 2
4 0
38 260 30 2
10
38 260
235/45 R17 94V High Performance 30 2 10 3 3 230 30 2 10 33 230
235 /40 R18 95V XL High Performance 41 280 46 320 41 280 4 6 320
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as x i, EXTRA LOAD , or RF on the tire sidewa ll.
The correct tire pressure for the
spare wheel is located on a label
either on the dr iver's side B-pilla r or i nside the fuel filler flap.
Because technical changes may be made to vehicle equipment
dur ing the mode l year, a lways co mpare the tire size designatio n on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle .
Make sure t hat the tire s ize informa tion o n the vehi cle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . This is especially impor ­
t a nt if th e ve hicle belo ngs to someone else or you bough t the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ ­
ously owned vehicle.
Re member, your safety and that of your passeng ers a ls o depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
inc lude s every body and everyt hin g i n and o n the vehic le . These load
limits are techn ically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehic le
Weight Ra tin g ("GVWR") . The Gross Axle Weig ht Ra ting ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the veh icle's two
ax les . The Gross Vehic le W eight Rating and the Gross Ax le Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located
either on the driver's s ide 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel fi ller
fl ap. T he ti re pressure labe l on your Aud i lists the max imum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo that the vehicle can car
ry. Fo r the l ocat io n of the tire pressure la bel
=> page 271, fig. 207.
LJ}. WARNING
Overload ing a vehicle can cause loss of vehi cle cont rol , a crash or
other ac cident , serious per sonal injury , and even death .
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle wa s designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
risk of a loss of vehicle control .
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehi cle within a safe dist ance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
cau sing lo ss of control and a crash .
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer h itch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehi cle 's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating . .,,_
Vehic le care

-~_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 you if it is necessa ry.
• T he battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
r ecommend us ing facto ry insta lled va lve stem caps. Ask you r autho ­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost va lve stem caps.
T he installation of rep lacement tires with steel cord body p lies in
t he tire sidewall may cause mal functi on of the tir e pressure mo ni­
toring system , and is not recommended (cord material information
in mo lded o n th e ti re sid ewa ll) .
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system * indicator after
r eplacing one or mo re ti res on your veh ic le . I f the ti re p ress ure
m onito ring syste m* ind icator flashes, or is o n, your s ystem is not
wo rking properly . Your replacement t ire might be incompatible with
yo ur tir e pressure mon ito ring system* , o r so me compo nen t of th e
tire p ressure monitoring 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 t ires , 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 fa il suddenly,
espe cially 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 speed s.
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tire s may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire f ailure and loss of vehicle control.
& W ARNING (continued )
• All four wheels mu st be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driv ing
with different tires redu ces vehicle h andling 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 tire s - only u se 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
the ir 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 vehicle s -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 tire s may only be used on vehicle s that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a cha ssis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
s ystem that indicate s a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
autho rized 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 mu st
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Safety Standard No. 109 . Grades Band A represent higher leve ls of
p er forma nce on th e laboratory test w hee l tha n the minim um
required by law .
& WARNING
The traction grade ass igned to this t ire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests , and does not include a cceleration ,
c ornering , hydroplaning or peak tra ction characterist ics .
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established fo r a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed , underinfla­
tion, or exces sive loading , either separately or in combination , can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure . •
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve veh icle ha ndl ing on sno w and
ic e. A t tem peratures belo w 45 °F (7
°C ) w e rec omm end
c ha ng ing to wint er tir e s.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winte r or "snow" tire s, those wi th ve ry deeply cut tread. These tires
should only be used in pairs and be instal led on a ll four wheels .
M ake s ure you p urchase snow ti res that are the same size and
cons truct ion type as the o the r ti res on your v ehicle.
I f your vehic le is equipped with al l-wheel drive*, this will improve
t raction during w inter dr iving, even with the s tandard tires .
H owever, we strongly recommend that you a lways equ ip all four
whee ls on y our vehic le wi th correc tly fitted winte r tires or all-seas on
tires, when winter road conditions are expected. This also improves
th e ve hic le 's brak ing performance and red uces s to ppi ng d ista nce s.
Summer t ires p rov ide less gr ip o n ice and s now. Winter tires (snow tires) must a
lways be fitted on all four whee ls .
I f your veh icle is equipped with a ti re pre ssure monitoring system*,
compatible t ire pressure mon itoring sensors must be installed on
a ll four winte r tires for the system to function properly ~
page 281.
Ask your aut hori zed Audi dealer or quali fied wo rksho p for perm itte d
winter tire sizes . Use only radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose thei r effec tive nes s when the tread is wo rn down t o
a depth of 0.157 inch (4 mm).
On ly drive with winter tires unde r winter conditions. Summer tires
h andle be tter w hen th ere is no s now o r ice on t he roads a nd the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °C) .
I f you have a flat tire, see n otes on s pa re whee l~
page 279.
Please a lways remember that w inte r tires may h ave a lowe r speed
rating than the tires original ly instal led on yo ur vehic le at the time
i t was manu fac tured. Please see~
page 281, "Speed rating (letter
code)" for a listing of the speed rating letter codes and the
m ax imum speed at wh ic h th e tir es ca n be d riven .
The speed rating letter code(~
page 270) is on the side wa ll of the
ti re ~
page 279.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits that may be lower than
your vehicle's maximum speed . Always know the maximum speed
before driving off . Never drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific winter tires . This will cause damage to the tires
leading to an accident and serious personal injury to you and your
pa ssengers.
& WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for whi ch the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation , los s of control , crashes and seriou s
~

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s _ ...... 911
•
& WARNING (conti nued )
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires repl aced immed i­
ately.
• Winter tires have ma ximum speed rat ing that may be lower
than your vehi cle' s maximum speed.
• Never drive faster than the speed for which the winter or other
tire s installed on your vehicle are rated.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and traffi c cond it ions .
Never let the good acceleration of the winter tires and all -wheel
drive tempt you into taking e xtr a risks . Alway s remember :
• When braking, an all -wheel drive vehicle handles in the same
way as a front drive vehi cle.
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery road s,
even winter tires cannot help under black ice condit ions .
<£> For the sake of the environment
Use summer tires when weather conditions permit. They are
qu ieter, d o not wear as qu ick ly and reduce fue l con sump tion.•
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to t he fr ont w heels, and only to
certain tire sizes . Ask your authorized Aud i dealer on which tire
s izes sn ow chains ca n be used .
I f you are going to use snow chains, then you must instal l them on
the front wheels at least.
Th e snow chains must have low- prof ile l inks and must n ot be t hicke r
than 0 .53 inch (13 .5 mm), including the lock. Remove whee
l center covers and trim discs before putting snow
chains o n yo ur vehicle =>
(D. For safe ty reaso ns cover caps must
then be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are available from autho ­
r iz ed Audi dealer s.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chain s for your vehicle o r installing them
incorre ctly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
s erious personal injury .
• Snow chains are available in d iffe rent sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac ­
turer .
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your specific snow chains .
• Always observe local regulations.
(}) Note
• Remove snow c hai ns be fore d riving on roads not covered wit h
snow to avoid damaging tires and wearing the snow cha ins down
unnec essarily .
• Snow chains, which come into direct contact with the wheel rim,
can scratc h or damage it. Therefore, make sure tha t the snow cha ins
are suitably covered. Check the position of the snow chains after
dr iv in g a few yards an d cor rect if necessary . Fo llow the i nstruct ions
from the snow cha in manufacturer when do ing so.
[ i ] Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
a lso a pplie s to veh ic le s wi th A ll Wheel D rive .•
Ve hic le care

IIIJIL_T~ ir~e =s~ a~n~ d~ w~ h ~e~e~ l~ s '.,_ ______________________________________________ _
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the correct
torque .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory installed rims . If
different rims are fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that
whee ls are fitted securely and that the brake system functions
correctly .
I n certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model~ page 318.
& WARNING
Improperl y tightened or maintained wheel bolt s can be come loose
c au sing lo ss of control , a co llis ion and seriou s personal injur y.
• Alwa ys keep the wheel bolt s and the th reads in the wheel hubs
c lean so the wheel bolt s can turn ea sily and be properl y tightened.
• Never gre ase or oil the wheel bolt s and the thre ad s i n the wheel
hub s. They can become lo ose while drivin g if gre ased or oiled ,
e ven if tig hten ed to th e specifi ed torque .
• Onl y use wheel bo lt s th at bel ong to the rim being in sta lled.
• Nev er use differ ent wheel s bolt s on your vehicle.
• Alway s m aintai n the corre ct t ightenin g to rq ue for the whee l
bo lt s to r edu ce the ri sk of a whe el los s. If the tighten ing torque of
t h e w heel bolt s is too l ow, they c an loose n a nd com e out when th e
v ehicl e is mov ing . If th e tighte ning torque is t oo high, the whe el
b ol ts an d threads can be dam ag ed and the whee l can become
loo se .
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 90 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
tolerance of ± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque whee l bolts diagonally.
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench
-preferably by an authorized Audi
dea ler or qua lified workshop .•
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is fac tory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These tires
have been thorough ly tested and been selected specifically for your
model for their superb performance, road feel and hand ling under
a variety of driving conditions . Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more details.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is ind icated by a numera l of 55 or
l e ss in the tire's size designation . The numera l represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relat ion to its tread w idth expressed
in percentage. Conventiona l tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
more .
T he perform ance of lo w-as pect-rati o tire s is part ic ul arl y s ensit ive to
improp er infla tion pr essure. It i s there fore important that low
a s pect ra tio tir es are inflated to the sp ec ified pre ssure an d th at th e
i nfl ation pre ssure is regularl y checked and m aintained . T ir e pres ­
s ure s should b e checked a t lea st once a month and alw ays before a
long trip~ page 274, "Checking tire pressure".
What you can d o to avoid tire a nd rim dama ge
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ly by impact with
potho les, curbs, gull ies or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire
is underinflated.
In order to minimize the occurrence of impact damage to the tires
of your vehic le, we recommend that you observe the fo llowing
precautions:
• Always maintain recommended inflation pressures . Check your
tire pressure every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary .
• Drive careful ly on roads with potholes, deep gullies or ridges.
The impact from driving through or over such obstacles can
damage your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to
your tires . .,_