AUDI S8 2009 Owners Manual

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
I t •

-Tires and wheels
PW-------------------
Engine II Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
( displa ce-
normal load full load normal load
full load
ment in
liter) condition
al condition
conditional condition
PSI
I I kPA PSI
kPA PSI II kPA II PSI II kPA
12-cylinder
255/45 R18 99H All Season 36 250 38 260 32 220 32 220
6 .0 Individual
rear seats 255
/40 R19 100V XL All Season 41 41 280 36 250 36 250
255 /40 R19 100Y
XL High Performance
36 250
38 260 32
220 32 220
275 /35 R20 102Y
XL High Performance 38 41 280 35 2 40 4 4 300
12 -cylinder 255 /45 R18 99H All Season 36 250 36 250 32 220 32 220
6 .0
255/40 R19 100V XL All Season 41
280 41 280 36 250 36 250
255 /40 R19 100V
XL High Performance 36 250 36 250 32 2 20 32 220
275 /35 R20 102Y XL High Performance
38 260 41 280 35 240 44 300
XL = reinforced or extra load tire . It may also appear as xi , EXTRA LOAD , or RF on the tire sidewall .
al norm al l oad cond it ion => pag e 330.
The cor rect tire pressure for the spare wheel is located on a label
either on the driver 's side B -pillar o r inside the fue l fil ler flap .
Because technica l changes may be mad e to vehicle equipmen t
du ring the mo del year, always co mpare the tire si ze designa tion on
the tire pressure label on your vehicle with the tires on your vehicle .
Make sure t hat the t ire size info rmati on on t he veh icle labe l is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle . This is especially impor ­
tan t if the vehicle bel ongs t o some one e lse or you boug ht the
vehic le with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ ­
ously owned ve hicle.
Reme mbe r, you r safety an d that of your passengers a ls o depe nds
on making sure tha t load limi ts are not exceed ed. Vehicle load
inc ludes everybody and everyt hin g in an d on th e vehicle . T h ese load
limits are technical ly referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weigh t Ra ting ("GVWR"). The Gro ss Axle Weigh t Ra tin g ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two axles
. The G ross Vehic le We ight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rat ing are lis ted on the safety compliance sticker labe l located
either on the driver 's side 8 -pillar or on the inside of the fue l fi ller
fl ap . The ti re p ressure label on you r Aud i lists the maximum
combined weight of a ll of the occupants and luggage or other cargo
th at th e vehic le can carry . Fo r the location o f the t ire pressure labe l
=> page 330, fig. 274.
& WARNING
Overload ing 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 des igned to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the
risk of a loss of vehicle control . .,_

Tires and wheels -
----------------
•
& 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 •

-Tires and wheels
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 330, fig. 274.
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
330, fig. 274. 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.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the avail­
able cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
- Check the tire sidewall (=> page
338,
fig. 278) to determine the designated
load rating for a specific tire. •

Tires and wheels -_______________ _____.
Tire service life
The service life of tires depends on a lot of different things
including proper installation and balancing, correct tire
pressure and driving style.
_/l
l '-------- ,)
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI)
Fig. 276 Tire tread:
tread wear indicators
(TWI)
Fig . 277 Rotating tires
for more even wear
The original tires on your vehicle have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high "wear
indicators":::::, fig. 276 running across the tread. Depending on the
make, there will be six to eight of them evenly placed around the
tire. Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbols)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must
be replaced. Different figures may apply in other countries.:::::,&.
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 333.
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 Warranty
& Maintenance 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 .:::::, fig. 277.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
:::::, page 359.
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. _,,
Vehicle care I I Technical data

___ T_ i_ r_e _s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e _ ls _________________________________________________ _
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment can cause excess ive tire wea r, im pairing
the safety of the vehic le. If tires show excessive wear, have the
whee l alignment c hecked by an au th o rize d Audi deale r or qualifie d
wo rkshop.
All Wheel Drive
Vehicles with quattro® must always have tires of the same size, c ons truc tion and tread type. F or details see
~ p age 275 .
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to los s 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 dam age , such as
grease, oil , gasoline and brake fluid aw ay 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 los s of veh icle control. •
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New t ires and wheels h ave t o be broke n in.
Fig . 278 T ir e specif ication cod es on the sidewall of a tir e
No.
©
0
©
©
©
©
Description
Passenger car tire (where applicable)
Nominal width of tire in millimeters
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
Radial
Rim diameter code
L o ad in dex and s peed ra ting