warning AUDI S6 2008 Owners Manual

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating 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 326. You may not find this informa ­
tion on a ll tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire sidewa ll and indicates the maximum perm issible road speeds =>
&
in "Winter tires" on page 329.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle 's tires
are under inflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning te ll­
tale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pu lling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principa l grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
=>
page 323, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear .
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Adm inistration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rati ng and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles or perform in a certain way . It simply
gives tire buyers additiona l information to comb ine with other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recommen- dations
. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in
t hree areas : treadwear, traction and temperature resistance. The
UTQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewalls.
U .S . DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN )
This is the tire's "seria l number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets a ll federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac ­
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2207 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22th week of 2007. The
other numbers are marketing codes that may or may not be used by
the tire manufacturer. This information is used to contac t
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs . (68 kilograms)
t imes the vehicle's tota l seating capacity as listed on the label
located either on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib­
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by d istrib­
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below=>
page 317) and dividing by two. .,_

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ lftlll
•
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle. This is especially impor­
tant if the vehicle belongs to someone else or you bought the
vehicle with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ ­
ously owned vehicle.
Remember, your safety and that of your passengers also depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehicle . These load
limits are technical ly referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ("GVWR"l. The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two
axles . The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker labe l located
either on the driver's side 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel fi ller
flap. The tire pressure labe l on your Audi lists the maximum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
that the vehic le can carry. For the location of the tire pressure label
~ page 317, fig . 240.
& WARNING
O verlo ading a vehicle can c ause los s of vehicle control , a crash or
o ther a ccident , seriou s pe rsonal inju ry, and e ven d eath .
• Carrying more weight than your v ehi cle wa s des igned to carr y
w ill p re v ent the veh icle fr om handli ng properly and in crea se the
ri sk of a lo ss of ve hicle control .
• The br ake s on a vehicle that h as been o verloa ded m ay not be
able to stop the veh icle with in a safe di sta nce .
• Tir es o n a veh icle th at ha s bee n ov erlo aded can fail sudd enl y
c au sin g loss of cont rol a nd a cra sh.
• Always mak e sure th at the total lo ad being tr ansported -
includin g the weight of a tra iler hit ch an d th e tongue weight of a
lo aded tr ailer -doe s not m ake the vehi cle he avier tha n the
v ehicle 's Gro ss V ehicle W eigh t Rating.
& WARNING
• Incorre ct t ire pre ssu re s a nd/o r unde rinflat ion can le ad to a
seriou s or fatal a ccident.
• Incorre ct t ire pr essure s and/or u nderi nflat ion cause in creased
tire wear and can affec t th e handling of the vehicl e.
• Inco rre ct t ire pr essur es and /or underinfl atio n ca n als o lead to
s udden tire failure , including a b lowout and sudden deflation ,
ca usin g lo ss of vehi cle co ntrol. •
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires originally installed
on your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located
either on driver's side B-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap .
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the table~ page 317, "Cold tire inflation pressure". This means
that the pressure must be checked and adjusted when the tire has
not been driven for more than a couple of mi les (kilometers) at low
speeds during the previous three hours . Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal fric tion as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has warmed up than
when it is "cold ."
It is the inflation pressure in a "cold" tire that counts . Therefore, you
should never let air ou t of a warm tire to match "Co ld tire inflation
pressure" recommendations~
page 317. The tires wou ld then be
underinflated and could fa il suddenly .
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures for the new, original equipment tires that were
on your vehic le at the time it was manufactu red. For the location of
the labe l~
page 317, fig . 240.
Most tires lose air natural ly over time . They can a lso lose some air if
you drive over a pothole or hit a curb while parking. It is usually not ..,
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
possible to see whether the radial tires used today are underinflated
just by looking at them.
Therefore, be sure to check tire pressures at least once a month and
always before going on a long trip. Make sure to take the number of
people and the amount of luggage into account when adjusting tire
pressure for a trip -even one that you would not consider to be
"long." See=>
page 321, "Tires and vehicle load limits" for more
important information.
Always use an accurate tire pressure gauge when checking and
adjusting inflation pressures . Check all of the tires and be sure not
to forget the spare tire. If the pressure in any tire is too high when
the tire is "cold," let air out of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
gauge and keep checking the pressure until you reach the pressure
that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you plan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the difference between the
pressure in the cold tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for the vehicle load
(passengers and luggage) for the tires on your vehicle as listed on
the on your vehicle and in this manual and the kind of driving you
plan to do.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire
sidewall for any reason.
Remember that the vehicle manufacturer, not the tire manufacturer,
determines the correct tire pressure for the tires on your vehicle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
• Read the required tire pressure from the tire pressure label. On
USA vehicles, the tire pressure label is located on the driver's side
8-pillar . On Canada vehicles, the tire pressure label is located either
on the driver's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
• Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise to remove it from the
tire valve.
• Place the air pressure gauge on the valve. • The
tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
the tires are cold. The slightly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
• Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying.
• Reinstall the valve stem cap on the valve.
When should I check the tire pressure?
The correct tire pressure is especially important at high speeds. The
pressure should therefore be checked at least once a month and
always before starting a journey. Do not forget to check the tire pres­
sure for the spare wheel =>
page 337.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying. After changing
a wheel
or replacing wheels you have to adjust the tire pressures on
all wheels. In addition, you must then initialize the new tire pres­
sures in the tire pressure monitoring system=>
page 42.
& WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead sudden tire
failure, loss of control, collision, serious personal injury or even
death.
• When the warning symbol I appears in the instrument
cluster, stop and inspect the tires.
• Incorrect tire pressure and/or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and
stopping ability .
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control.
• The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all
tires on the vehicle. The applicable pressure values are located on a sticker on the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap. .,_

Tires and wheels -________________ lf:HIIII
•
& WARNING (continu ed )
• Only when all tires on the veh icle are filled to the correct pres­
s ure , the tire pre ssure monitoring sy stem can work correctly .
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage. Therefore it i s es sential that the driver observe
the specified tire pre ssure values for the tires and the correct pres­
s ures for the function of the tire pressure monitoring system.
• Alway s inflate tires to the recommended and correct tire pres ­
sure before driving off .
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot re sulting in tread separation , sudden ti re failure and loss
of control.
• Ex cessive speed and /overloading can cause heat build -up ,
sudden tire failure and loss of control.
• If the tire pressure is too low or too high, the tires will wear
prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well .
• If the tire is not flat and you do not have to change a wheel
immediately , drive at reduced speed to the nearest service stat ion
to che ck the tire pressure and add air as required .
0 Note
Driving without valve stem caps can cause damage to the tire
valves. To preven t this, a lways make su re t hat facto ry instal led
va lve
stem caps on a ll whee ls are securely mounted on the va lve .
'£> For the sake of the environment
Underinflated t ires will a lso increase the fuel consumption. •
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or weight that any vehicle and
any t ire can car ry. A vehicle that i s ove rlo aded wil l n ot hand le well and
is more difficu lt to stop . Overloading can not only lead to loss
o f ve h ic le control, but ca n also damage impor ta nt parts o f the
vehic le and can lead to sudden tire fa ilure, inc luding a blowout and
sudden defla tion that ca n cause the vehic le to cra sh .
Your sa fety and that o f your passe ngers also depe nds on mak ing
sure that load limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load includes every ­
b ody and everyth ing in and on t he veh ic le . T hese load lim its a re
technica lly referred to as the vehicle's
Gross Vehi cle We ight Rating
(" GVWR"l .
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic veh ic le, all factory
insta lled accesso rie s, a ful l tank of fuel , oil, coolant an d other fluids
p lus max imum load. T he ma xim um load inc ludes the number o f
passe ngers that the veh icle is intended to carry ("seat ing capacity")
w ith a n assu med we ight of 150 l bs (68 kg) fo r each passen ger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any luggage in
the v ehicle. I f you tow a trailer, the we ig ht o f the tra ile r hi tch and t he
tongue weight of the loaded trailer must be includ ed as part of the
ve hicle l oad.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR"l is t he maximum load that
can be applied at each of the vehicle's two ax le s.
The Gross Ve hicle We ig ht Rat ing and t he G ross A xle Weig ht Rat ing
are listed on the safety comp liance stic ker label located either on
t he d rive r's side 8 -p illar or on th e inside of the fuel fil ler fla p. You r
Audi has 5 seating positions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for total
seating ca paci ty of 5 . Each seating p ositi on has a safe ty be lt
=> page 202, "Safety belts" .
The fact that there is an upper limit to your veh icle's Gross Vehicle
W eight Rating m eans tha t the to tal weight o f whateve r is bein g
carried in the vehicle (including the weight of a trailer hitch and the
to ngue we igh t of the l oad ed trai ler) is li mit ed . The m ore passe ng ers
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavie r than the standard
we ig ht s assum ed mean that les s we ight ca n be ca rri ed as luggage.
The tire pressure labe l on your Audi also lists the maximum
com bined we ig ht of a ll of t he occ upa nts and luggage or other ca rg o
~
Vehicle care I t •

IIJ!I Tires and wheels
that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the label~ page 31 7,
fi g. 240 .
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control , a crash or
other accident , serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
ri sk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a veh icle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly,
including a blowout and sudden deflation , causing loss of control
and a crash.
• Always make sure that the total load being transported -
including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer -does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle 's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. •
Determining correct load limit
Use the example below to calculate the
total weight of the passengers and luggage or other things that you plan to
transport so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overloaded.
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1. Locate the statement "THE COMBINED
WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle's placard (tire infla­
tion pressure label)=>
page 317 , fig. 240.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3 . Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
"XXX" kilo ­
grams or
"XXX" pounds shown on the
sticker=>
page 317, fig. 240.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the
" XXX"
amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will
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.) t,,,

--~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wear and can cause
sudden tire blow-out. For this reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month~
page 319.
Driving style
Driving fast around curves, heavy acceleration and hard braking
increase tire wear.
Rotating tires for more even wear
For all four tires on your vehicle to have the same service life, we
recommend that the front and rear tires are rotated according to the
tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation intervals. Please remember the following:
• Tire rotation intervals may differ from the vehicle service inter­
vals outlined in your Maintenance and Warranty Booklet.
• The longer one tire is used in one location on the vehicle, the
more it wears at certain points; therefore, we recommend that you
follow the tire manufacturer's suggested tire rotation intervals.
• Vehicles with front-wheel drive experience more tread wear on
the front wheels compared to all-wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as shown ~
page 323, fig. 243.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
~ page 344.
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various situa­
tions during everyday driving can cause them to become unbal ­
anced, resulting in vibrations you can usually feel through the
steering wheel.
Unbalanced wheels must be rebalanced to avoid excessive wear on
steering, suspension and tires. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tire is installed.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment can cause excessive tire wear, impairing
the safety of the vehicle. If tires show excessive wear, have the
wheel alignment checked by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles with quattro® must always have tires of the same size, construction and tread type. For details see~
page 264.
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of control, a crash and serious
personal injury!
• Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down
to the wear indicators.
• Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do not grip well on wet
roads and increase your risk of "hydroplaning" and loss of control.
• Always keep chemicals that can cause tire damage, such as
grease, oil, gasoline and brake fluid away from tires.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control. •

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ ,n
•
ture . For example, the numbers 2207 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22th week of 2007. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or may not be used by the tire manufac­
turer. This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire. In general, the greater the number of plies, the
more weight a tire can support . Tire manufacturers also must indi­
cate the materials in the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others .
Maximum Load Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Tire quality grading for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades~ page 328.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.
Replacing tires or rims on vehicles equipped with tire
pressure monitoring system
The wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tire, and then trans­
mits this information to the tire pressure monitoring system. If you
are going to replace the wheel rims on your vehicle, make sure the
new rims also have these sensors . The sensors must be compatible
with the tire pressure monitoring system on your vehicle.
If you install rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring system
will not work properly. In this case, the tire pressure monitoring system would not be able to monitor the
tire pressure or warn you
if it is necessary.
• The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the valve stem caps securely mounted. We
recommend using factory installed valve stem caps. Ask your autho­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost valve stem caps .
The installation of replacement tires with steel cord body plies in
the tire sidewall may cause malfunction of the tire pressure moni­
toring system, and is not recommended (cord material information
in molded on the tire sidewall).
Always check your tire pressure monitoring system indicator after replacing one or more tires on your vehicle. If the tire pressure
monitoring system indicator flashes, or is on, your system is not
working properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with
your tire pressure monitoring system, or some component of the
tire pressure monitoring system may be damaged.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched 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 specifica­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that
have been specifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history." Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
~
Vehicle care I t •

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ llll
•
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall
between tread shoulder and maximum section width =>
page 325,
fig. 244.
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA, Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Require­
ments 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 specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual condi ­
tions of the ir use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ ­
ences in road characteristics and c limate .
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest , are AA, A, Band C .
Those grades represent the tire 's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction 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 conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure =>& .
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher leve ls of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
& 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.
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla­
tion, or excess ive loading, 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" tires, 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.
If your vehicle is equipped with al l-wheel drive *, this will improve
traction during winter dr iving, even with the standard tires.
However, we strongly recommend that you always equip all four
wheels on your vehicle with correctly fi tted winter tires or all-season
tires, when winter road conditions are expected . T his also improves
the vehicle 's braking performance and reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and snow.
Vehicle care I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted on a ll four wheels .
Compati ble t ire press ure moni to ring senso rs m ust be installed o n
a ll four w inter t ires for the t ire pr essure mo nitoring system to func­
tion p roper ly
~ page 327.
Ask you r au thori zed Aud i dealer o r qual ified w ork s hop f or per mitted
winter tire s izes . Use only radial winter tires.
Win ter tires lose their effec tivenes s whe n the trea d is wo rn down to
a depth of 0.1 57 inch (4 mm).
Only drive with winter tires unde r winter conditions. Summer t ires
ha ndle better when there is no snow or ice o n th e roads a nd th e
temperature is above 45 °F ( 7 °C).
If you ha ve a flat tir e, see notes on s pare w heel
~ page 325.
Please a lways reme mber t hat winte r ti res may have a lower speed
rating than the tires originally instal led on your vehic le at t he time
i t was ma nufactured. Please see~
page 326, "Speed rating (letter
code)" for a listing of the speed rating letter codes and the
m aximu m sp ee d at whic h th e t ires ca n be d riven .
T he speed rating letter code(~
page 316) is on the side wa ll of the
t ir e ~
page 325.
& WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limit s that may be lower than
your vehicle' s ma ximum speed. Always know the ma ximum 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
passengers .
& WARNING
Driving faster than the ma ximum speed for whi ch the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation , loss of control , crashes and serio us
& WARNING (continued)
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires repla ced immedi­
ately.
• Winter tires have maximum speed rating that may be lower
than your vehicle's maximum speed.
• Never drive faster than the speed for which the winter or other
tires installed on your vehicle are rated.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and traff ic conditions .
Never let the good acceleration of the winter tires and all -wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks . Always remember:
• When braking, an all -wheel drive vehicle handles in the same
way as a front drive vehicle .
• Drive carefully and reduce your speed on icy and slippery roads,
even winter tires cannot help under black ice conditions .
Use summer tires when weather conditions permit. They are
q uieter, d o not wear as qu ickly a nd red uce fuel c onsu mp tion .•
Snow chains
S no w chains may b e fitte d only to t he fron t w hee ls, an d only to
certain tire sizes. Ask your authorized Aud i dea ler on which tire
sizes sn ow chai ns ca n be use d.
I f you are going to use snow chains, then you must instal l the m on
the front wheels at least.
T he snow chains mus t have low-pro file l inks a nd mus t not be thicke r
than 0.53 inch (13.5 mm), including the lock. .,,_

Tires and wheels -________________ w-.
•
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs before putting snow
chains on you r veh icle =>
(D. For sa fety reasons c ove r cap s m ust
then be fitted over the wheel bo lts . These are avai lable from autho ­
r ized Aud i deale rs.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle or in stalling them
incorrectly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
• Snow ch ains are available in different 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 .
0 Note
• Remove sn ow chai ns b efore d rivin g on roads not cove red w ith
snow to avoid damaging tires and wearing the snow chains down
u n n ecessa r i ly.
• Snow chains , which come into d irect contact with t he whee l rim,
ca n scratc h or da mage it. T herefore, ma ke sur e tha t th e snow chains
are suitably covered.
• I f the Adaptive Air Suspensio n* shou ld malfunction, do no t
mount or use snow chains because the vehicle will be extremely
l o w. I f yo u do drive w ith snow c hai ns o n w hi le t he ve hicle is a t thi s
level, the snow cha ins might severe ly damage the wheelhouse and
ot her parts o f the vehicle.
[ i ] Tips
W her e sn ow c hai ns are manda tory on certa in roa ds, t his no rm ally
a lso app lies to vehic les with Al l Wheel Drive. •
Wheel bolts
Wheel bo lts must alw ays be t ig hte ned to the correct
to rq ue .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory instal led rims. If
d iffere nt rim s are fitted, the corr ect w heel bo lts w it h t he rig ht le ngth
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that
w he els are fitted securely and that the brake sys tem func tions
correctly.
I n certa in c ircums ta nces, you may not use wheel bo lts from
a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model=> page 368.
& WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel bolts can become loose
causing loss of control , a collision and serious personal injury .
• Always keep the wheel bolts and the threads in the wheel hubs
clean so the wheel bolts can turn easily and be properly 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 torque of
the wheel bolts is too low , they can loosen and come out when the
vehicle is moving . If the tightening torque is too high, the wheel
bolts and threads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 9 0 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
to lera nce of± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque whee l b o lt s d ia go nally.
Af ter changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as .,_
Vehicle care I t •