flat tire AUDI S8 2009 User Guide

Tires a nd wh eels 111111 ________________________________ ::..:..:....::.=.....::.:..:..:..::..:___:__ _ ___:,___
•
Sidewa ll
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed ra ting means the speed at which a t ire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h)
t o 186 mph (298 km/h) =>
page 340. You may not find this informa ­
tion on all tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicab le, is molded on the tire
sidewa ll and indicates the maximum perm issible road speeds=>
&
in "Winter tires" on page 343.
T ire pre ssu re m onit orin g sys te m *
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires
are under inflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning tell­
tale.
Tre ad
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road .
Tread sepa ra ti on
means pu lling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Tr ea dw ear indi cato rs ( TW I)
means the projections with in the principal grooves designed to give
a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread . See
~ page 337, "Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)" for more information on
measuring tire wear.
U ni form Tire Q ua lity G radin g
is a tire information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N HTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make re lative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is
not a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a
prescribed number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way .
I t simply gives tire buyers additional information to combine with
other considerations, such as price, brand loya lty and dealer recom -mendations
. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufac ­
t urers in three areas : treadwear, traction, and temperature res is ­
tance. The UTQG information on the tires, molded into the sidewal ls .
U .S . DOT Tir e Identifi cation Numb er (TIN )
This is the tire's "ser ia l number" It begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets a ll federa l standards . The next two
numbers or letters indicate t he plant where it was manufact ured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac­
ture. For example,
DOT ... 2 20 7 ...
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 contact
consumers if a tire defect requires a reca ll.
V ehi cle ca pac ity w eig ht
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs . (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's total seating capacity as listed on the label
located either on the d river's side 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
V eh icle max imum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib­
uting t o each ax le its share of the max imum loaded vehic le weight
and dividing by two.
V ehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is determined by distrib­
uting t o each ax le its share of the curb weight, accessory weig ht,
and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table
below =>
page 330) and dividing by two . _.,
Vehicle care I t •

___ T_ i_ r_e _s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e _ ls _________________________________________________ _
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating capacities
Designated seating capacity , num­
ber of occupants
4
5
Cold tire inflation pressure
Vehicle no rmal load, number of
oc cupants
2
3
Occupant distribution in a normally
loaded vehicl e
2 in front
2 in front, 1 in b ack sea t
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety of a vehicle.
Fig. 274 Tire pressure
label: located either on
driver 's side B-pillar or
inside the fuel filler flap
T IRE AND LOADING INFORMATION
T IRE SIZE COLD TIRE PRESS URE
FR ONT -KPa, - PSI
REAR -KPa, - PSI
I.:: SPARE -KPa, -PSI Fig . 275 Tire pressure
label
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.
•
Tire pressure generally refers to the amount of air in a tire that it
needs it to do its job and safely carry the combined load of the entire
vehicle and its contents . Tire pressure is measured in kilopascals
(kPa), the international measuring unit and in pounds per square
inch (PSI). Tire pressure is based in part on the vehicle's design and
load limit -the greatest amount of weight that the vehicle can carry
safely and the tire size. The proper tire pressure is frequently
referred to as the "recommended cold tire inflation pressure ." Air in
the tires expands when the tire heats up because of internal friction
when 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 out of a
warm tire to match "cold tire inflation pressure " recommendations .
The tires would then be underinflated and could fail suddenly. 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 . The tire
i.,.

Tires and wheels -________________ w-.
•
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 3 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
=> &.
Bear in mind that the tire pressure monitoring system* can only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored. The system does not
recognize the load condition of your vehicle .
The effec tiveness of the tire pressure mon itoring system* will be
impaired if you store normal load pressures but then operate the
vehicle at its maximum load=>&. See the
illustration=>
page 330, fig. 274 for the location of the label
either o n driver's side 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap (color of
the actual label and exact location on the vehicle will vary slight ly).
Note that the following tab le is accurate at the time of going to
press and is subject to change. In the event of discrepancies, the t ire
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 fil ler
flap) always takes precedence.
The table below lists the recommended cold tire inflation pressures
for the Audi mode l 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
8-cylinder
4.2
8-cylinder
4 .2 L 255/45 R18 99H All Season
255/40 R19100V
XL All Season
255/40 R19
1 00Y XL High Performance
275/35 R20 102Y XL High Performance
255/45 R18 99H All Season
255/40 R19 100V XL All Season
255/40 R19 1 00Y XL High Performance
275/35 R20 102Y XL High Performance
normal load conditional
kPA
33 230
36 250
33 230
38 260 33 230
36 250
33 230
38 260
full load
condit ion
PSI
33 230
38 260
33 230
41 280
35 240
38 260
35 240
41 280
Vehicle care
normal load full load
conditional condition
kPA PSI kPA
30
210
33 230
33 230 36 250
30 210 33 230
35 240
44 300
30 210 33 230
33 230 36 250
30 210
33 230
35 240 44 300
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Tires and wheels -
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•
& WARNING (continued)
• The brakes on a vehicle 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
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.
& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased
tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control. •
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 8-pillar or inside the fuel filler flap.
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the table~
page 330, "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 miles (kilometers) at low
speeds during the previous three hours. Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal friction 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 out of a warm tire to match "Cold tire inflation
pressure" recommendations~
page 330. The tires would then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly.
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures at maximum capacity for the new, original equip ­
ment tires that were on your vehicle at the time it was manufac­
tured. For the location of the label
~ page 330, fig. 274.
Most tires lose air naturally over time. They can also lose some air if
you drive over a pothole or hit a curb while parking. It is usually not 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 335, "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. .,,_
Vehicle care I t •

-Tires and wheels
---------------------------------------------
It is important to ch eck the ti re pressure when the tires are cold .
• Read the req uire d tire p re s su re from the tire press ure la b el. On
USA vehicles, the tire p ressure label is located on the driver's side
8 -p illar. On Canada vehic les, the tire p ressure label is located either
on the driv er's sid e 8-pill ar or ins ide t he fuel fill er flap.
• Tur n the va lve stem cap c ounte r-cl ockwise to rem ove it fr om t he
tire valv e.
• Place th e a ir p re s sur e ga uge on th e valve .
• Th e tire pressures should only be checked and adjusted when
th e tires are col d. The s lig htly raise d pres sures of wa rm tires m ust
not be r educ ed .
• Adjus t the tire pre ssu re to the l oad you are carrying.
• Reinstal l the valve stem cap on the valve.
When should
I check the tire pressure?
The correc t tir e pr ess ure is especiall y important a t hi gh speeds . The
pressu re should the re fore be checked at l east once a mont h an d
a lways bef ore sta rting a j ourn ey . D o not for get to chec k the ti re pr es­
su re for the s pare wh eel
::::> page 352.
When should I adjust the tire pressures?
Adjust the tire pr essure to the load you are carrying . After changing
a whee l or re plac ing w hee ls you have to adj ust th e tire pre ssu res on
a ll whee ls. I n ad ditio n, you must t hen stor e the ne w tire pr essu res
in t he tire pres sure mon it o ring system *=> page
41.
& 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 appears in the instrument
cluster, stop and inspect the tires .
& WARNING (continued)
• 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 B-pillar or on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.
• Only when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the correct pres­
sure , the tire pressure monitoring system* can work corre ctly.
• The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to accidents
or other damage . Therefore it is essential that the driver observe
the specified tire pressure values for the tires and the correct pres­
sures for the function of the tire pressure mon itoring system* .
• Always inflate tires to the recommended and correct tire pres ­
s ure before driving off .
• Driving with underinflated tires bend more , letting them get
too hot resulting in tread separation , sudden tire failure and loss
of control.
• Excessive speed and /overloading can cause heat build-up ,
s udden 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 station
to check the tire pressure and add air as required. _..

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
0 Note
Driving without valve stem caps can cause damage to the tire
valves. To prevent this, always make sure that factory installed valve
stem caps on all wheels are securely mounted on the valve .
W For the sake of the environment
Underinflated tires will also increase the fuel consumption. •
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or weight that any vehicle and
any tire can carry . A vehicle that is overloaded will not handle well
and is more difficult to stop. Overloading can not only lead to loss
of vehicle control, but can also damage important parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout and
sudden deflation that can cause the vehicle to crash.
Your safety and that of your passengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load includes every­
body and everything in and on the vehicle. These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR"l.
The "GVWR" includes the weight of the basic vehicle, all factory
installed accessories, a full tank of fuel, oil , coolant and other fluids
plus maximum load. The maximum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is intended to carry ("seating capacity")
with an assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each passenger at a
designated seating position and the total weight of any luggage in
the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trailer must be included as part of the
vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR"l 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 label located either on
the driver's side 8-pillar or on the inside of the fuel filler flap. Your
Audi has 5 seating positions, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear for total
seating capacity of 5. Vehicles with power individual rear seats*
have 4 seating positions, 2 in the front and 2 in the rear for total
seating capacity of 4. Each seating position has a safety belt
~ page 211, "Safety belts".
The fact that there is an upper limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating means that the total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including the weight of a trailer hitch and the
tongue weight of the loaded trailer) is limited. The more passengers
in the vehicle or passengers who are heavier than the standard
weights assumed mean that less weight can be carried as luggage.
The tire pressure label on your Audi also lists the maximum
combined weight of all of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the label
~ page 330,
fig. 274.
& 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 vehicle 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. •
Vehicle care
I t •

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0
-
©
®
U.S. DOT ti re identification number
Sever snow conditions
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 hold ing and safe handling when in good cond ition and prop­
erly inflated =>& .
We recommend that a ll 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 d isposing of the old tires.
Authorized Audi dea lers have the necessary info rmation about tech ­
nical requirements for insta lling or changing tires and rims.
R epl ac ing tires and wheels
Tires shou ld be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (for
examp le both front tires or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the information to the tire pressure moni ­
toring system*=>
page 340.
Always buy replacement radial tires that have the same specifica ­
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi. Rep lacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
origina l equipment or approved optional t ires listed in the table
=>
page 330.
Audi -appr oved spec ification tires are spec ially matched to your
vehicle and its load limits, and can contribute to the important road- holding, driving characteristics, and safety of the vehicle
. The table
(=>
page 330) l ists specifications of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure labe l located either on driver's side 8 -pi llar or
inside the fuel fi ller flap(=>
page 330, fig. 275) lists the specifica ­
tions of the original equipment tires installed on your vehicle at the
ti me it was manufactured.
Federa l law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized infor ­
mation on the sidewa ll of all tires =>
page 338, fig . 278. This informa ­
t ion identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics, the
qua lity grade of the ti re and also provides a tire identification
number for safety standard certificat ion and in case of a recal l.
Tire specificat ions
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the
co rrect t ires . Radial tires have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewall, for example:
255 /45 R 18 99 H
This contains the following informat ion:
P Indicates the ti re is for passenger cars (where applicab le)
255 No minal tire width i n mm of the tire fro m sidewall edge to side -
wa ll edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire
45 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
18 Rim diameter code (in inches)
99 Load rating code
H Speed rating lette r code
XL (or "xi", "EXTRA LOAD" or "RF") indicates that the tire is a "Rein­
forced" or an "Extra Load" ti re
M +S (o r "M/S") Indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capa ­
bility
The tires could a lso have the information of direct ion of rotation
=>
page 326.
Vehicle care I t •

__________________________________________________ T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
•
• T he battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
service life.
• Always drive with the va lve stem caps securely mounted. We
recommend using fac tory insta lled valve stem caps . Ask your autho­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost valve stem caps .
T he 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 info rmation
i n molded on the t ire sidewa ll).
A lways check your tire pressure monitoring system * indicator after
replac ing one or more tires on you r veh ic le . If t he tir e pressure
monitoring system * indicator f lashes, or is on, your system is not
wo rking pr ope rly. Your re place ment tire might be i nco m patible wit h
your tire pr essure monitoring system *, or some component of the
t ir e pr ess ure moni toring system * m ay be da maged.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and / or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to los s of control , collision
and serious personal injury .
• Alway s use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica ­
tions of original fa ctory -installed tires or other combination s that
have been specifically approved by the vehi cle manufacturer .
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
espe cially at high speeds . Tire s that a re more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lo wer speeds .
• Never mount used tire s on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tires may have been dam aged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
ti re failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type ,
size (rolling cir cumference ) and the same tread pattern . Driving
& W ARNING (continued )
with different tires redu ces 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 dri ve with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon a s safely pos sible.
• Never drive faster than the ma ximum 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 , su dden 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 te chni cal reasons it is not always po ssible 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 blo cked . Redu ced airflow to
the brake s can them to overheat , increa sing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle mu st have a cha ssi s designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
s ystem* that indicates a lo ss of tire pressure . Incorrect use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accident s. Check with an
authorized Audi dealer or tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run fl at tires . If run flat tires are used , they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mi xing tire types is not permitted.
0 Note
• Fo r techn ica l reaso ns, i t is no t genera lly p oss ibl e to use the
whee l rims from other vehicles . T his can hold true for wheels of the
sa me vehicle type. ..,.
Vehicle care
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& WARNING
The tr action 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
W inter tires c an im prove vehicle handli ng on snow and
ice. At t emperatures belo w 45 °F (7 ° C) we re comme nd
cha ngi ng to wint er tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments may require true
winter o r "snow" tires, those with very deeply cut tread. These tires
shou 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 size and
co nstruction type as t he o the r tires on your vehicle .
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 ti res .
However, we strongly recommend that you always equip a ll four
w hee ls on you r vehic le wi th cor rec tly fit ted w inter tires o r all-season
t ir es, when w inter road co nditions ar e expected . T his also improves
the vehicle 's br aking perfo rmance and reduces stopping distances.
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 .
Compatible ti re pres sure monito ring sensors * must be insta lled on
all four wi nte r tires fo r the t ire pressu re mon ito ring system* to fu n c­
tion proper ly ~
page 34 0.
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop for permitted
winter tire sizes. Use only ra d ial winter tires .
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to
a depth of 0 .157 inch ( 4 mm).
Only d rive wi th winter tires und er w inter cond itio ns. Summer t ires
handle better when there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
t empe ra tu re i s above 4 5 °F (7 °C) .
I f you have a f lat tire, see notes on spare whee l
~ page 338.
Please a lways remember that winter tires may have a lower speed
r ati ng tha n the ti res orig in ally installed o n yo ur veh icl e at the time
it was manufactured . P lease see~
page 340, "Speed rating (letter
c od e)" for a l isti ng of th e speed ratin g le tter codes a nd the
maximum speed at which the tires can be driven.
The s peed ra ting letter code( ~
page 329) is on the side wa ll of the
t ir e ~
page 338 .
& WARNING
Winter tires have ma ximum 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 specifi c 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 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 maximum speed rating that may be lower
than your vehicle's maximum speed.
Vehicle care
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Tires and wheels 1111111 ________________________________ ::..:..:....::.=.....::.:..:..:..::..:___:__ _ ___:,___
•
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts mus t alwa ys be tighte ned to t he correct
to rq ue .
The design of wheel bo lts is matched to the factory installed rims. If
di fferent r ims are fitted , th e cor rect whe el bo lts wi th the rig ht l ength
and c orrec tly shaped bolt heads must be used . This ens ures that
w he els a re fitted se cur ely and th at the bra ke syste m functi ons
correctl y.
In cer ta in c ircums tances, yo u ma y not use w hee l bolts fr om a
differ ent vehicle - even if it is the same model~
page 384 .
& 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 s pecified torque for the wheel bolts is 90 ft lb ( 120 N m) with a
to lerance o f± 7,4 ft lb(± 1 0 Nm). Torque whee l bolt s diago nally.
After chang ing a whee l, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench
-preferably by an authorized Audi
d e aler o r qua lifi ed wo rksho p.•
Low aspect ratio tires
You r A ud i is fac tory-eq uippe d w ith low aspect ra tio tire s. T hese tire s
have been thorough ly t ested and b een se lected specifica lly for your
mod el for thei r su p erb pe rf or manc e, r oad f eel an d ha nd ling under
a variety of driving con ditions . As k your authorized Audi d ealer for
m ore de ta ils.
The low aspect rat io o f th ese t ires is indicated by a numer al of 55 or
less in the t ire's size designation. The numeral rep resents the ratio
o f t he t ire's s idewa ll he ig ht in rel ati on to it s tread w idt h ex pressed
in percentage . Conventiona l tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
mo re.
The performan ce of low -aspe ct-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
inflat ion pressure is regularly checked and ma intained. Tire pres­
sures should be checked at least once a month and always before a
long trip~
page 333, "Checking tire pressure" .
What you can do to avoid tire and rim damage L ow aspect ratio tires can be damaged mo re easily by impact with
po tho les, cu rbs, gull ies o r rid ges o n th e road, particular ly if the t ire
is underinf lated .
I n or der to mini mize th e occurrence of i mpac t da mag e to t he tires
of your vehicle, we recommend that you observe the fol lowing
pr ecaut ions :
• Always ma intain recom mended inflatio n pr essu res . C heck you r
ti re p ressu re eve ry 2,000 mi les (3,000 k m) and add a ir if neces sary .
• D rive carefully on roads with potho les, deep gullies or ridges.
T he impact from d riving th rough or ove r such obstac les can
da mage y our tires. I mpact with a cu rb m ay a lso cause damage to
your tire s. ..,
Vehicle care
I t •