load capacity AUDI S8 2011 Owners Manual

68 Seats and storage
-When not in use, to reduce fuel consump­
tion, wind noise and to guard against theft.
A WARNING
- Use of an unapproved roof rack or incor­
rect mounting of an approved roof rack
can cause the roof rack or the items at­
tached to it to fall off the roof onto the
road .
- Objects falling from the roof of a vehicle
can cause a crash and personal injury .
- Only mount the roof rack on the desig­
nated locations on the roof
c::> fig. 69.
-The roof rack system must be installed
exactly according to the instructions pro­
vided.
- When driving with a roof rack system,
changes to the center of gravity and wind
resistance can change the vehicle han­
dling and lead to a collision . Always
adapt your driving and your speed to the
current conditions.
- Your vehicle warranty does not cover any
damages to the vehicle caused by using
roof racks or mounting structures not
approved by Audi for your vehicle. The
same applies to damage resulting from
incorrect roof rack installation.
- Always check the roof rack mountings
and hardware before each trip and dur­
ing a trip to make sure everything is se­
curely tightened. If necessary, retighten
the mountings and check the entire sys­
tem from time to time.
- After mounting a roof rack system, or
when you transport objects on the roof
of your vehicle, the height of the vehicle
is naturally increased. Be careful when
driving under low bridges or in parking
garages for example . This could cause
damage to the load and even the vehicle itself.
- Make sure the open rear lid and the sun­
roof* do not come into contact with the
roof rack.
Loading the roof rack
Always distribute loads evenly. Make sure
anything on the roof rack is securely tied
down.
.. Always distribute the loads on the roof rack
evenly.
.. Always attach items to the roof rack securely
before you drive off.
The maximum permissible roof weight is
220
lb (100 kg).
The roof weight is the total of
the weight of the roof rack, the attachments
and the cargo you are carrying. You must also
not exceed the maximum load weight for the
roof rack you are using.
When using a roof rack system which has a lower load carrying capacity, you must not use
up the total maximum permissible load carry­
ing capacity specified above. Instead, you
should load the roof rack system only to the
maximum capacity specified by the manufac­
turer of the roof rack system .
A WARNING ,_
Weak, damaged or improper straps used
to secure items to the roof rack can fail
during hard braking or in a collision and
cause serious personal injury .
- Make sure the roof rack is installed exact­
ly as specified above
c::> page 67.
- Always use suitable mounting straps for
securing items to the roof rack to help
prevent items from shifting or flying for­
ward .
- Items on the roof rack must always be securely mounted .
- The use of a roof rack can negatively af ­
fect the way a vehicle handles . Cargo
that is large, heavy, bulky, long or flat
will have a greater negative influence on
the vehicle's aerodynamics, center of
gravity and overall handling. Always
drive slowly, avoid sudden braking and
maneuvers when transporting cargo on
the roof of your vehicle .

-Never exceed the maximum permissible
load carry ing capacity of the roof of your
vehicle, the perm issible axle weights and
the permiss ible total weight of your veh i­
cle
~ page 2 79, Weights .
-Always drive slowly, avoid sudden brak­
ing and maneuvers when transporting
cargo on the roof of your vehicle .
@) For the sake of the environment
Sometimes it may be easier to leave a roof
rack installed even though you are not us­
ing it. Due to the increased a ir resistance
your vehicle will unnecessarily use more
fuel. Remove the roof rack if you are not
going to use it.
12-volt sockets
App lies to vehicles: 12-volt sockets
Electrical accessories can be connected to ev­
ery 12 -volt socket.
Fig. 70 Sect io n of the trim panel of t he luggage com ­
p ar tm en t: 12 -v ol t so cke t
Fig . 71 R ear cente r c ons ole : 12 -vo lt s ocket
~ Open the socket cover ~ fig . 70 or ~ fig. 71.
~ Inse rt the plug o f the el ectrical device into
t h e socket.
S ea ts a nd s to rage 69
There is an additional 12 volt socket in the
front center console~
page 70, fig . 72.
T he 12 volt socke ts may be used for 12-volt
appliances with maximum consumpt ion of up
to 100 watts.
Before you purchase any accessories, always
read and follow the info rmation in
~ page 285 , Additional accessories and parts
replacement.
A WARNING
The sockets and the electrical accessories
connected to them operate only when the
ignition is switched on .1ncorrect usage
can lead to ser ious injuries or burns . To re­
duce the risk of injuries, never leave chil ­
dren unattended in the vehicle w ith the ve­
h icle key.
(D Note
To avoid damaging the socket, only use
plugs that fit properly .
- Never connect eq uipment that generates
electrical current, such as a solar panel
or battery charger, to the 12 volt socket .
Th is could damage the vehicle 's electri­
cal system.
- The 12 volt socket sho uld only be used
for a short per iod of t i me as a powe r
so urce for electrical equipme nt. Please
use the elec trical sockets in the vehicle
when connecting equ ipment for longer
periods .
(D Tips
When the engine is off and ac ce ssories are
still plugged in and are on , the vehicle ba t­
tery can still be drained .

7 2 Seats and st o ra ge
Cooler
Introduction
Applies to vehicles: with cooler
Please clean the cooler before using it for the
first time~
page 216.
You can only switch on the cooler if
- the temperature in the luggage compart­
ment is below 131 °F (55 °C). The cooler
switches off automatically if the tempera­
ture in the luggage compartment exceeds 131 °F (55 °C) . Once the temperature falls
below 131 °F (55 °C) again, the cooler
swit ches on aga in automatically.
- the battery is adequately charged. The cool­
er switches off automatically if the vehicle
ba ttery voltage fal ls below a minimum lev­
el. This prevents the battery from d ischarg­
i ng. The cooler switches back on again auto ­
matically when the battery voltage increases
again (e.g. after starting the engine).
The cooler coo ls to 42 .8
° F ( + 6 °c) and the
freezer cools to 2 1.2 °F (- 6 °C) in optimum
cooling cond itions. The cooling performance
is affected by the temperature in the luggage
compartment. The temperature inside the
cooler will be higher if the luggage compart­
ment is hot.
.,&. WARNING
To avoid putting the occupa nts at any r isk,
please observe the following safety ru les:
- The maximum capacity is 2.5 kg (5 .5
lbs.).
- Never overload the cooler. This could cause injury in the event of a co llision o r
s u dden bra king.
- The coo le r li d must always be kept closed
wh ile you are driv ing. Make sure the re­
taining catch is sec urely engaged . The
c o ntents of the coo le r could be thrown
forwar d into the passe nger comp art­
ment in the event of a collision or u nder
s udden braking -risk of inj ury!
- Inflammable liq uids, g as canisters, etc.
must not be store d in the cooler -risk of explos
ion! This also includes any prod­
ucts that might em it volati le or inflam­
mable gases.
- Liquids w ill freeze at temperatures at or
be low 32 °F (0 °C) and may cause glass
bottles to burst!
(D Note
- The venti lation openings for the cooler
are located on the back pane l trim in the
luggage compartment and
must be kept
clear at a ll times.
- If the coo ler is not functioning properly,
switch it off to prevent furt her damage.
Have it checked by a qualified works hop.
Operation
Applies to vehicles: with coo ler
Fig. 75 Rear center armrest
The cooler is located in the rear cabi n behind
the center armrest or behind the sliding cover
(depending on the equipment fitted in your
vehicle). The cooler and freezer only work
when the ignition is on .
Opening / clos ing the co oler
.,. To open the coolbox, pull the re lease lever
@ qfig. 75.
.,. To close the coolbox, push the lid back into
its original position. You should hear the re­
lease lever
(D engage if the lid is properly
closed.
Switching on /off
.,. Press button @ q fig. 75 to switch the cool­
er on/off. The symbol in the button is lit
when t his function is activated. .,,_

134 Driving Safely
-Always distribute the load as evenly as
possible.
- Place heavy objects as far forward in
the luggage compartment as possible.
- Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rat­
ing or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
specified on the safety compliance stick­
er on the left door jamb. Exceeding per­
missible weight standards can cause the
vehicle to slide and handle differently.
- Please observe information on safe driv­
ing
r:::> page 12 7.
A WARNING
-
To help prevent poisonous exhaust gas
from being drawn into the vehicle, always keep the rear lid closed while driving.
- Never transport objects larger than those fitting completely into the luggage
area because the rear lid cannot be fully
closed.
- If you absolutely must drive with the rear
lid open , observe the following notes to
reduce the risk of poisoning:
- Close all windows,
- Close the power roof,
- Open all air outlets in the instrument
panel,
- Switch off the air recirculation,
- Set the fresh air fan to the highest
speed.
A WARNING
Always make sure that the doors, all win­
dows, the power roof and the rear lid are
securely closed and locked to reduce the
risk of injury when the vehicle is not being
used.
- After closing the rear lid, always make
sure that it is properly closed and locked.
- Never leave your vehicle unattended es­ pecially with the rear lid left open. A
child could crawl into the vehicle through
the luggage compartment and close the
rear lid becoming trapped and unable to
get out . Being trapped in a vehicle can
Lead to serious personal injury .
-
-Never let children play in or around the
vehicle.
- Never let passengers ride in the luggage
compartment. Vehicle occupants must
always be properly restrained in one of
the vehicle's seating positions .
(D Tips
-Air circulation helps to reduce window
fogging. Stale air escapes to the outside
through vents in the trim panel, on the
Left side of the Luggage compartment.
Be sure to keep these slots free and
open .
- The tire pressure must correspond to the
load . The tire pressure is shown on the
tire pressure label. The tire pressure la­
bel is located on the driver's side B-pillar.
The tire pressure Label lists the recom­
mended cold tire inflation pressures for
the vehicle at its maximum capacity
weight and the tires that were on your
vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
For recommended tire pressures for nor­
mal Load conditions, please see chapter
r:> page 242.
Tie-downs
The luggage compartmen t is equipped wi th
four tie-downs to secure luggage and o ther
items.
Use the tie-downs to secure your cargo p rop­
erly
c> page 133, Loading the luggage com­
partment.
In a collision, the laws of physics mean that
even smaller items that are loose in the vehi­
cle will become heavy missiles that can cause
serious injury. Items in the vehicle possess en ­
ergy which vary with vehicle speed and the
weight of the item. Vehicle speed is the most significant factor.
For example, in a frontal collision at a speed
of 30 mph (48 km/h), the forces acting on a 10-lb (4 .5 kg) object are about 20 times the
normal weight of the item. This means that
the weight of the item would suddenly be

190 Intelligent technology
Intelligent technology Notice about data
recorded by vehicle
control modules
Your veh icle is not equipped with an Event Da­
ta Recorder (EDR), installed by some manu­
facture rs for the express purpose of capturing
data for retrieval after an accident or crash
event . EDR's are sometimes ca lled "crash re­
corders".
Some state laws restrict the retr ieval or down­
loading of data stored by EDR's that were in­
stalled in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash
event without the owner's consent.
A lthough your vehicle is not equipped with an
EDR, it is equipped with a number of electron­
ic control modules for various vehicle systems
such as, for example, eng ine function, em is­
sion control, as well as for the airbags and
safety belts.
These electronic contro l modules also record
vehicle-re lated data during normal vehicle op­
eration for diagnostic and repair purposes.
The recording capacity of the electronic con­
trol modules is limited to data (no sound is re­
corded) and only a small amount of data is ac­
tually recorded over a ve ry limited pe riod of
time and stored when a system fault or other
cond ition is sensed by a control unit. Some of
the data then stored may re late to vehicle
speed, direction, braking as we ll as restraint
system use and performance in the event of a
crash or other condition. Stored data can only
be read and downloaded with special equip­
ment.
Electronic stabilization
program (ESP)
Description
ESP helps to improve road holding and vehicle
dynamics to help reduce the probability of
skidd ing and loss of veh icle control. It works
only when the engine is running. ESP detects certain difficult driving situat
ions, including
when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw) out of control and helps you to get the veh icle
back under control by se lectively braking the
wheels, and/or reducing engine power and
providing steer ing assistance to help hold the
vehicle on the driver's intended course. The in­
dicator light
liJ in the instrument cluster
blinks when ESP is taking action to help you
control the vehicle.
ESP has limitations.
It is important to remem­
ber that ESP cannot overcome the laws of
physics. It will not always be able to help out
under all conditions you may come up against.
For example, ESP may not always be able to
help you master situations where there is a
sudden change in the coefficient of friction of
the road surface. When there is a section of dry road that is suddenly covered w ith water,
slush or snow, ESP cannot perform the same
way it wou ld on the dry surface . If the vehicle
hydroplanes (rides on a cushion of water in­
stead of the road surface), ESP will not be
able to help you steer the vehicle because con­
tact with the pavement has been interrupted
and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered.
During fast cornering, particularly on winding
roads, ESP cannot always deal as effectively
with difficult driving situations than at lower
speeds. When towing a trailer, ESP is not able
to help you regain control as it would if you
were not tow ing a trailer.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffic; and weather condit ions. ESP can­
not override the vehicle's physical limits, in­
crease the available traction, or keep a ve hicle
on the road if road departure is a result of
driver inattention. Instead, ESP improves the
poss ibility of keeping the vehicle unde r con­
trol and on the road during extreme maneu­
vers by using the driver's steering inputs to
help keep the vehicle going in the intended di­
rection . If you are traveling at a speed that
causes you to run off the road before ESP can
provide any assistance, you may not experi­
ence the benefits of ESP .

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those standard items wh ich may be rep laced)
of automa tic tra nsmission, power steering,
power br akes, power w indows, power sea ts,
radio, and heater, to the ex tent that these
items are avai lab le as factory -installed eq uip ­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the rat io of the height to the w idt h of
the tire in percent . Numbers of 55 o r lower in ­
d icate a low sidewall fo r improve d steer ing re ­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means the pa rt of the t ire t hat is made o f
s teel wires, wrapped o r reinforce d by ply cor ds
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
com ponents in the bead .
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire .
Cold tire infl ation pres sure
means the tire pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a t ire of a designated
size that has not been dr iven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire pressure
i s measu red or adjusted.
Tire s an d wheel s 239
-If you notice un usua l vibration or if the
veh icle pulls to one side when driv ing, a l­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
Curb weight
mea ns the we ight of a motor ve hicle w it h
standard equipment in cl ud ing t he maximum
capacity of fuel, o il, and coolant, ai r cond i­
tion ing and addi tional weig ht o f optiona l
equipment .
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to operate at h igher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
r espondi ng s tan dard tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "X L", "xl", "EXTRA LOA D", o r
"R F" on the sidewall .
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
means the load-carry ing capac ity of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in­
te rfaces .
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
mea ns the maximum total loaded we ight of
t h e ve hicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs.
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load tha t a t ire is rate d
to ca rry for a given inflation press ure. Yo u
may not find this information on all tires be­
ca use it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
me ans the loa d ra ting f or a t ire a t the maxi­
mum pe rm issi ble inflat ion pressure for that
ti re .
•
•
...

240 Tires and wheels
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means t he sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity we ight, and
(d) P rod uction options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
me ans t he max imum co ld inflation pressu re
to which a tire may be in flate d. Also called
"maxim um inflation p ress ure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilog rams) times the
nu mbe r of o ccupants seated in t he vehicle up
to the tota l sea ting capaci ty of yo ur vehicle .
Occupant distribution means dist ribution of occupants in a veh icle .
Outer diameter means t he overa ll diameter of a n in flated new
tire.
Overall width
means t he linear dis tan ce between the ex ter i­
ors o f th e sidewalls of an inflated tire, in cl ud­
ing e levations due to labeling, decorations, or
p rotective bands o r ribs.
Ply
means a laye r of r ubber-co ate d parall el c ords.
Production options weight
means t he comb ined we ight of those installed
regular produc tion options weigh ing ove r 5
l bs . (2 .3 kg) in excess of t hose standard items
which they repla ce, no t previously considered
in cur b weight o r acc essory weig ht, incl uding
h eavy duty brakes, r ide leve le rs, roof ra ck,
h eavy duty ba tte ry, a nd specia l trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic t ire in which the p ly co rds
t ha t ex tend to the beads are laid a t sub stan ­
ti ally 9 0 degrees to the ce nt erline o f the
trea d. Recommended inflation pressure
see
<=>
page 239, C old tire infl atio n pressure.
Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate a t higher loads
and at h igher inflation pressures than t he cor­
r espondi ng stan da rd tire. Reinforced tires
may be identifie d as "X L", "xl" , "EX TRA LOAD",
o r "RF " on t he sidewa ll.
Rim
means a metal su ppo rt for a tire or a t ire and
tube assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Rim diameter
means nom inal d iameter of the bead seat. If
you change your wheel s ize, you w ill have to
purchase new tires to match th e new r im di­
ameter .
Rim size designation
means r im diameter and width.
Rim width
means nom inal dista nce between rim flan ges .
Sidewall
means tha t port ion of a t ire betw ee n t he
t read a nd bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is designed to
be driven for extended periods of time. The
r a ti ngs range from 93 mph ( 150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h)
~ page 250. Yo u may
not fi nd this information o n all ti res because
it is no t re quir ed by law.
T he speed rating letter code, wh ere applica­
ble , is molde d on the tire sidewall a nd indi­
c ates the max imum pe rmissibl e road speeds
<=> A in Winter tire s on page 2 54.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
mea ns a system that detects when o ne or
more of a veh icle 's tires are unde rinf lated an d
ill uminat es a low tir e pr es sure wa rning t ell­
t a le.

Tires and wheels 241
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pull ing away of the tread from the tire
carcass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principal
grooves designed to give a visual indication of
the degrees of wear of the tread. See
c:> page 248, Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) for
more informat ion on measuring tir e wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the
United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to help buyers make relative comparisons among
tires. The UTQG is not a safety rating and not a
g uarantee that a tire will last for a prescribed
number of mi les (kilometers) or perform in a
certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers addi ­
tional information to combine with other con­
siderat ions, such as pr ice, brand loya lty and
dealer recommendations. Under UTQG, tires
are graded by the tire manufacturers in three
areas : treadwear, traction, and temperature
res istance . The UTQG information on the tires,
mo lded into the sid ewa lls.
U.S . DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the t ire's "serial number" It begins
with the letters "DOT" and indicates that the tire
meets all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it
was man ufactured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year of man ufacture.
For example,
DOT . .. 2212 ...
means tha t the tire was produced in the 22nd
week of 2012. The other numbers are market­
ing 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
recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus
150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the vehicle's to­
ta l seating capacity as listed on the label lo­
cated either on the driver's side B-pillar.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individu al tire that is
de termined by distributing 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 individua l tire that is
determined by distributing to each axle its
share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occ upant weight (distributed in
accordance with tab le be low
c:> page 241)
and dividing by two.
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for various designated seating
capacities
Designated seating capacity,
number of occupants
4
5
Vehicle normal load, number Occupant distribution in a nor-
of occupants _____ mally loaded vehicle
2 2 in front
3 2 in front, 1 in back seat
•
•

Tires and wheels 243
change. In the event of discrepancies, the tire
pressure label (On USA vehicles, the tire pres­
sure label is located on the dr iver's side B -pil­
lar always takes precedence.
The table be low lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for the A udi model covered
by your Owner 's Literat ure at the vehi­
cle's capacity weight and the ti re sizes instal­
l ed on the respective models as orig inal
equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear
(displace- normal load full load normal load full load
ment in
li-conditiona l
condition conditional
condition
ter) kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA PSI kPA
a-cylinder 235/55 Rla 104H XL all
35 240 36 250 32 220 38 260 4.2
season
255/45 R19 104H XL all
240 36 250 32 220 38 260
season
265/40 R20 104V XL
33 230 33 230 30 210 35 240
a-cylinder 235/55 R18 104H XL all 240
36 250 32 220
38 260
4.2L season
255/45 R19 104H XL all
35 240 36 250 32 220 38 260 season
265/40 R20 104V XL 240
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side-
wall.
al normal load co ndit io n c:, page 24 1.
The correct tire pressure for the spore wheel is
located on a label on the driver's side B-p illar.
Because technical cha nges may be made to
vehicle equipment during the model year , a l­
ways compa re the tire size designation on the
tire pressure label on your ve hicle with the
tires on your vehicle . Make sure that the tire
size information on the vehicle label is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle.
T his is especially important if the vehicle be­
longs to someone else or you bought the vehi­
cle wi th different rims/ tires or you bought the
vehicle as a previously owned vehicle .
Remember, your safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on mak ing sure that
load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
veh icle. These load lim its are technically refer­
red to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rat­
in g ("GAWR") is the maximum load that can be applied at each
of the vehicle's two axles.
T he Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance sticker label located on the
driver's side B-pillar . The tire pressure labe l on
your Audi lists the maximum combined
weight of all of the occupants and luggage or
other cargo tha t the veh icle can carry . For the
location of the tire pressure label
c::> fig. 184.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
hicle control, a crash or other accident, se­
rious personal injury, and even death.
- Carrying more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­ crease the risk of a loss of vehicle con­
trol.
•
•

24 4 T ir es and whe els
- 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 overload­
ed can fail suddenly causing loss of con­
trol and a crash.
- Always make sure that the tota l load be­
ing transported -including the we ight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue weight of a
loaded trailer - does not make the veh i­
cle heav ier than the veh icle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.
A WARNING
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can lead to a serious or fatal acci­
dent.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation cause increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle .
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can also lead to sudden tire fa il­
ure, including a blowo ut and sudden de­
flation, causing loss of vehicle control.
Checking tire pressure
.
The correct tire pressure for the tires original­
ly installed on your vehicle is listed on the tire
pressure label located on driver's side 8-pil ­
lar.
The recommended t ire pressures are on the
tire pressure labe l and in the tab le
r::;, page 242, 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 m iles (kilometers) at
low speeds during the previous three hours .
A ir in the tires expands when the tire heats up
as a result of internal fr iction as it flexes in
use. The ti re p ressu re is higher w hen the tire
has warmed up than when it is "cold ."
It is the inflat ion pressure in a "cold" tire that
counts. Therefo re, you shou ld never let air out
of a warm t ire to match "Cold tire inflation
p ressure" recommendations
¢page 242. T he tires wou
ld then be unde rinf lated and co uld
fail suddenly.
T he tire pressure label on your Audi lists the
re commended co ld tire inflation pressures at
maximum capacity for the new, original
equipment tires that were on your vehicle at
t h e time it was man ufactured. For the loca ­
t ion of the labe l
r::;, page 242, fig. 184 .
Most tires lose air natura lly over time. They
can a lso lose some air if you drive over a pot­
ho le or hit a curb while park ing. It is usually
not possible to see whether the rad ia l tires
used today are underinflated just by looking
at them .
Therefore, be sure to check t ire press ures at
l east once a month and a lways before going
on a long trip. Make sure to take the number
of peop le and the amount of luggage into ac ­
count when adjust ing tire pressure for a trip -
even one that you wo uld not consider to be
"long." See
r::;, page 246, Tires and vehicle
load limits
for more important information .
Always use an accurate ti re pressu re gauge
when checking and ad justing inflat ion pres­
su res. Check all of the tires and be sure not to
forget the spare tire.
If the pressure in any t ire
is too high when the ti re is "cold," let air o ut
of the ti re s low ly with the edge o f the tire
gauge and keep checking the pressure until
you reach the pressure that is correct for the load (passengers and luggage) and k ind of
driv ing you plan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the
difference between the pressure in the co ld
tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for
the ve hicle load (passengers and luggage) for
the tires on your vehicle as listed on the o n
your vehicle and in th is manual and the kind
of d riving you plan to do .
Never e xce ed the max imum inflation pres­
sure list ed on the tire sidewall for any rea­
s on .