flat tire AUDI S6 2009 User Guide

ll'JI Tires and wheels
The tire pressure labe l on your Audi also lists the maximum
c o m bined w eigh t of all o f th e occ upant s a nd l uggage o r oth e r ca rgo
that the vehicl e can carry . For the location of the label~
page 3 21,
fig . 247 .
& 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
risk of the loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehi cle 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 321 , fig. 247.
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 321 , fig. 247.
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_ls _ ____. 11111
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in.
Fig. 251 Tire specification codes on the sidewall of a tire
No.
G)
@
©
©
©
©
Description
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 rating
0
©
U.S. DOT tire identificat ion number
Audi Original tire
Sever snow condit ions
Tire ply composition and materials used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation 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 char ­
acteristics of the vehicle and can make a major contribution to good
road holding and safe handling when in good condition and prop ­
erly inflated
=> & .
We recommend that all work on tires and wheels be performed 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 tech­
nical requirements for installing or changing tires and rims.
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (for
example both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the information to the tire pressure moni ­
toring system
=> page 336.
Always buy replacement radial tires that have the same specifica­
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi. Replacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
original equipment or approved optional tires listed in the table
=> page 327. ~
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

Tires and wheels -________________ w-.
•
ture. For exam ple , t he numbers 2 208 mean that the tire was
pr od uce d in the 22nd w eek o f 20 08 . T he ot her num bers a re
marketing cod es that may or may not b e used by the tire manufac ­
tu rer. This inf or ma tion is use d to conta ct consum ers if a tir e defec t
requires a recall.
Audi Original tire
Ti res with the identification "AO" or "R O" hav e been specia lly
m atc h ed wi th you r A ud i. We re comm end u sing on ly these tire s
becaus e they meet the highest standards re garding safety and
dri ving c haracter istic s when used correctly . You r aut horized Audi
d ealer w ill glad ly prov ide you with mor e information .
Tire ply composition and materials used
The number of p li e s indicates the numb er of layers of rubber -coat ed
fabric i n the tir e . In genera l, the grea te r the number of pl ies, th e
mo re we ig ht a t ire can suppo rt. T ire ma nufactu rers also must ind i­
cate the materia ls in the tire, which include steel, ny lon, polyester,
and oth ers .
Maximum Load Rating
This numb er ind icat es the maximum load in kil ograms and pou nds
th at ca n be ca rried by t he tire.
Tire qual ity grading for treadvvear , traction , and
temperature resistance
T read wear , traction and temperature grades::::;, page 332.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the t ir e u nder nor mal d riving co nd it ion s.
& 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 .
& WARNING (continued )
• Always use tires, rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory -installed tires or other combinations that
have been spec ifically approved by the veh icle 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.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driving
with different tires reduces vehicle 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 rated speed can fail suddenly.
• Overloading tires cause heat build -up, sudden tire failure ,
includ ing a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For technical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -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. Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
~
Vehicle care I t •

-Tires and wheels
PW-------------------
& WARNING (continued)
• 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. Incorrect use of run flat tires can lead to vehicle
damage or accidents. Check 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, they must be installed on all four wheels.
Mixing tire types is not permitted.
0 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 period of time only and drive with extra
care. Replace the flat tire with the tire matching the others on your
vehicle as soon as possible.
• Never drive without the valve stem cap. The valves could get
damaged.
~ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of old tires in accordance with the local requirements. •
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall between tread shoulder and maximum section width~
page 329,
fig. 251 .
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 ti re graded 150 wou Id 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 their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ­
ences in road characteristics and climate.
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 levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law. .,_

Tires and wheels -_____________ .:.....::...=..____:__:_:_:_=-=----
•
& WARNING
The traction grade ass igned to this t ire i s based on straight -ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
c ornering , hydroplaning or peak tra ction chara cteristic s.
& WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed , underinfla ­
tion , or ex ces sive loading , either separately or in combination , can
c ause heat buildup and possible tire failure . •
Winter tires
Wi nter tires c an im prove vehicle handli ng on snow and
ic e. At t emperatures below 4 5 °F (7 ° C) we re commend
cha ngi ng to winte r tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winter o r "snow" tire s, those with ve ry deeply cut tread. These tires
s h ou ld on ly be used in pairs and be i nstalled on all four wheels .
M ake sure you purchase snow tires that are the same si ze and
co nstruction type as t he o the r tires on your veh icle .
I f your vehicle is equipped with all -wheel drive *, this will improve
t raction d uring win te r dr iving, eve n with the s ta n dard t ires .
However, we strongly recommend that you always equip a ll four
w hee ls on you r vehic le wi th cor rec tly fi tted w inter tire s or all-season
t ir es, when w inter road co nditions ar e expec ted . T his also improves
the vehicle 's br aking perfo rmance and reduces stopping distance s.
Summer tires p rov ide less gr ip on ice a nd sno w.
Winter tires (snow tires) must a lways be fitted on all four whee ls .
Ask you r author ized Aud i deale r o r qualified wo rksho p fo r pe rmitted
winter tire sizes . Use only rad ial wint er tires. Winter tires
lose their effec tiveness when the tread is worn down to
a depth of 0 .1 57 inch (4 mm).
Only drive with w inter tires under winter conditions. Summer tires
handle better when there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
t emperature is above 45 °F (7 °C).
I f you have a flat tire, see notes on spare whee l
~ page 329.
Please always remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
rating than the tires original ly installed on your vehicle at the time
it was man ufact ured. Please see~
page 330, "Speed rating (lette r
code)" for a l ist ing o f th e speed rati ng lette r codes a nd the
maximum speed at which the tires can be driven.
The s peed rati ng letter code(~
page 320) is on th e sid e wa ll o f the
tire
~ page 329 .
& 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 acc ident and serious personal injury to you and your
passengers .
& WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires
on your vehicle were designed can cause tire failure including a
blowout and sudden deflation , loss of control , crashes and serious
personal injuries . Have worn or damaged tires replaced immedi ­
ately.
• Winter tires have max imum 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 . ...
Vehicle care
I t •

Tires and wheels -_______________________ ..::...:..:..-=::.......:.:..;::..:....____;___
•
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the correct
torque.
The design of wheel bolts 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
wheels are fitted securely and that the brake system functions
correctly.
In certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a
different vehicle - even if it is the same model~
page 374.
& 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 90 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
tolerance of ± 7,4 ft lb(± 10 Nm). Torque wheel bolts diagonally.
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench
-preferably by an authorized Audi
dealer or qualified workshop. •
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 and handling under
a variety of driving conditions. 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 sidewall height in relation to its tread width expressed
in percentage. Conventional 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 323, "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
potholes, curbs, gullies 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 vehicle, we recommend that you observe the following
precautions:
• Always maintain recommended inflation pressures . Check your
tire pressure every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary.
• Drive carefully 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. ..,
Vehicle care
I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
• After any impact, immediately inspect your tires or have them
inspected by the nearest authorized Audi dealer. Replace a
damaged tire as soon as possible.
• Inspect your tires every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) for damage and
wear . Damage is not always easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, which could eventually cause tire failure . If
you believe that a tire may have been damaged, replace the tire as
soon as possible.
• These tires may wear more quickly than others.
• Please also remember that, while these tires deliver responsive
handling, th ey may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All tires are design ed for certain purposes. The low aspect rat io ,
ultra high performance tires originally installed on your vehicle are intended for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling.
They are not suitable for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions. If
you drive under those circumstances, you should equip your vehicle
with all -season or winter tires, which offer better traction under
those conditions . We suggest you use the recommended snow or
all -season tires specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent .
Refer to~
page 333for more detailed information regarding winter
tires. •
Tire pressure monitoring system
General notes U
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recom ­
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation 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 i
nflation 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
pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly
under -inflated . Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu ­
minates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to th e proper pressur e. Driving on a signi ficantly
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 vehicle'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 tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pr essure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indi ­
cator to indicate when the system is not operating properly . The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure
telltale . When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated . This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start -ups as long as the malfunction exists .
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not
b e able to de tect or signal low tire pr essure as in tended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction tell tale af ter replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly. •