winter tires AUDI TT 2013 Owner´s Manual

The speed warning system has two warning
thresholds
that function independently of
each other and that have somewhat different
purposes:
Speed warning 1
You can use speed warn ing 1 to set the maxi­
mum speed while you are driving. This setting
will remain in effect until you turn
off the igni ­
tion, assuming that you have not changed or
reset the setting.
The speed warning symbo l
(mj (USA models)/
(SJ (Canada models) in the warning 1 display
appears when you exceed the maximum
speed.
It goes out when the speed falls below
the stored max imum speed.
The speed warning symbo l wi ll also go out if
the speed exceeds the stored maximum speed
by more than about 2S mph (40 km/h) for at
least 10 seconds. The stored maximum speed
is deleted.
Setting speed warning l <=:> page
75.
Speed warning 2
Stor ing warn ing 2 is recommended if you al­
ways want to be reminded of a certa in speed,
for example when you are traveling in a coun­
try that has a general maximum speed limit,
or if you do not want to exceed a spec ified
speed for winter tires.
The speed warning 2 symbol,
(zj els)/
(•j (Canada models) appears in the dis­
p lay when you exceed the stored speed lim it.
Unlike warning 1, it will not go out until the
vehicle speed drops below the stored speed limit .
Sett ing speed warning 2 <=:>page 76.
@ Tips
Even though your vehicle is equipped with
a speed wa rning system, you should sti ll
watch the speedometer to make sure you
are not driving faster than the speed lim it.
On the road 75
Speed warning 1: setting a speed limit
Warning threshold 1 is set by the button.
Fig. 73 Sect ion of instrument clus ter: Set/C heck but ·
ton
Storing the maximum speed
.,. Drive at the des ired maximum speed .
.,. Press the knob buttonr=:>fig .
73 unti l the
speed warning symbol
[iJ (USA models)/ ~
(Canada models) appears.
Resetting the maximum speed
.,. Drive the vehicle at a speed of at least
3 mph (5 km/h)
.,. Press the knob for more than 2 seconds.
The speed warning symbol
(G:l (USA models)/
i•j rcanada models) will appear briefly in the
display when you release the button to indi­
cate that the maximum speed has been stored
successfully .
The maximum speed remains stored until it is
changed by pressing the button aga in brief ly
or until it is deleted by a lengthy push on the
button.

overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the ent ire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an in­
creased stopp ing distance. Avoid driv ing
the vehicle and have it towed to the near­ est Aud i dealer or qualified workshop .
- Never let the vehicle roll to a stop w ith
the engine shut off.
- If the brake booster is not working, for
example when towing your ve hicle, or
because the brake booste r has somehow
been damaged, the brake pedal must be
pressed considerab ly harder to make up
for the lack of booster assistance.
Electro-mechanical
power assist
The electro-mechanical power assist helps
the driver when steering.
The degree of power assist is electronically
matched to vehicle speed.
The power steer ing system ass ists the driver
so that he can stee r the veh icle w ith red uced
phys ica l effort.
Power steering w ill not work if the engine is
off. As a result, the steering wheel w ill be hard
to turn.
& WARNING
If the system develops a prob lem, you
must seek qualified professional assis­
tance.
(D Note
-
If there is an electronic malfunct ion, ser­
votronic
wi ll sti ll function like a conven­
tional power steering system, providing a
constant steering support force that is no
longer proportionate to the vehicle speed.
This is most noticeable when turning the
steer ing wheel at low speeds (for example
when parking), -more effort will be re­
quired than usual.
Int ellig ent technolog y 155
-Be aware of the different than usual
steering response and adjust your steer­
ing force accordingly.
- Have the problem checked and set right
by an authorized Audi dea ler as soon as
possible.
- If a steering malfunction occurs, this is
signaled with the,~ , or .• indicator
lights and a warn ing tone, see.
(D Tips
- If the power steering system sho uld fail,
or if the engine is not running (for exam­
ple, while being towed), you will still be
able to steer the vehicle. However, more
effort will be required to do so.
- If the power steering system is not func­
tioning properly, contact your authorized
Audi dealer immediately.
Driving with your
quattro ®
Applies to vehicles : wit h all -w hee l d rive
With oil -wheel drive, oil four wheels ore driv­
en.
General information
With a ll-wheel drive, power is distr ibuted to
all four wheels. This happens automatically
depend ing on your driving style and the road
conditions at the time. See also
c::> page 1 SO.
The all-whee l dr ive concept is des igned for
high eng ine power. Your veh icle is except ion­
ally powerfu l and has excellent driving charac­
teristics both under normal driving conditions
and on snow and ice. Always read and follow
safety precautions
c::> &. .
Winter tires
When dr iving in the winter, your vehicle with
all-wheel drive has an advantage, even with
regular tires. In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all-sea­
son tires) for improved driveability and brak­
ing: these tires must be mounted on
all fou r
wheels. See also c::> page 211, Winter tires. ..,_
•
•

Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almost any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash. However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sig n of the fac ility, the filtering of the wash
water, the type of wash and care mater ial , etc.
If the paint has a dull appearance afte r go ing
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a ca r wash, be s ure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows. Remove antenna if applicable .
If you have installed additional accessories on
the vehicle -such as spoilers, e tc. -it is best to
ask the car wash operator i f these should be
removed .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information ¢
page 164.
(D Note
- Fold the exterior mirrors -flat the re is a
risk of damaging the exterio r mirrors .
Power folding exterior mi rrors must not
be fo lded in or out by hand. Use the pow­
er function!
- Compare the track of your vehicle w ith
the d istance between the guide ra ils of
the facility- there is a risk of damage to
the wheels and tires .
- Compare the width of your vehicle wit h
the width of the tu nnel at the fac ility.
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­
cle by hand.
~ Befo re you start washing, make sure you
have read and understood the WARNINGS
¢ A in General informa tion on page 164 .
Cleaning and protec tion 165
~ First soak all dried d irt unt il it is soft, then
rinse it off.
~ As you clean yo ur vehicle, start w it h the
roof and work your way down to the bottom,
using a sponge, a sponge g love or a clean
brush .
~ Rinse the sponge o r the sponge glove often,
flushi ng it clean each time.
~ Use spec ia l car shampoo only fo r very per­
sisten t dirt.
~ Rinse the car thoroughly wit h water.
~ Use a chamois leather to gent ly wipe the ex -
terior dry .
U se a separate sponge for cleaning the
whee ls, door s ills and other regions exposed
to road dirt. In this way, yo u wi ll not scratch
the paint wit h coarse particles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the car.
A WARNING
- Wash your vehicle only when the ignition
is switched off to reduce the risk of a
crash .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 164.
(D Note
-Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the veh icle is dry. Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, s ince this
cou ld scratch your vehicle's paint or win­
dows .
- Never wash your car in bright sun light.
Drops of wate r act as mag nifying lenses
and may damage yo ur paint .
- Whe n you wash your car in the winter: if
you rinse yo ur vehicle with a hose, be
c ar efu l not to aim the stream of water
directly at locks, or at doo r or hatch
openi ngs -they can free ze sh ut.
- Never use sponges designed to
remove
insec ts, or any k itche n sco uring sponges
or s imil ar p rod ucts. They can damage
your paint finish .
- Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean
the headlights . Only use wet cloths o r
•
•

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
yo u 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.
- If you notice unusual vibration or if the
vehicle pulls to one side when d riving, al­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age .
(D Note
Please note that summe r and wi nte r tires
are designed for the cond itions that are
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those sta ndard items which may be rep laced)
of au toma tic transmission, power steer ing ,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are availab le as factory-installed equip­
ment (whether installed or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the rat io o f the height to the w idth of
the tire in percent . Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
dicate a low sidewall for improved steering re­
sponse and better overa ll handling on dry
pavement .
Bead
means the part of the t ire t hat is made o f
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead .
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Tire s an d wheel s 197
typica l in those seasons . Aud i recommends
using winter tires during the winter
months . Low temperatures signif icant ly
dec rease the e lasticity of summer t ires,
which affects tract ion and brak ing ability.
If summer t ires are used i n very co ld tem ­
peratures, cracks ca n form o n the tread
bars , res ulting in perma nen t tire damage
that can cause loud driving noise and un­
bala nced ti re s. Audi i s not respon sible for
th is type of damage .
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire p ress ure recommended by t he
vehicle manufacture r fo r a tire o f a des ignated
s ize t hat has not bee n driven for more than a
coup le o f miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire press ure
is m easured or adjusted.
Curb weight
me ans the we ight of a motor ve hicle with
st andard equipmen t incl ud ing the max imum
capacity of fuel, oi l, and coolant, air condi ­
tioning and additional weig ht of optiona l
equipment.
Extra load tire
means a t ire designed to operate a t higher
loads and at higher inflat ion p ress ures than
the corresponding standar d tire. Extra load
ti res may be ident ified as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR")
me ans the lo ad-ca rry ing capa city of a si ngle
axle system, measured a t the tire -ground in­
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR ")
mea ns the maximum total loaded we ight of
the ve hicl e. .,.. •
•

Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at wh ich a tire is des igned to
be driven for extended periods of t ime . The
ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h) to
186 mph (298 km/h) ¢
page 208 . You may
not find this information on all tires because
it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applica­ ble, is molded on the tire sidewall and indi­
cates the maximum permissible road speeds
¢ &. in Winter tires on page 212.
Tire pressure monitoring system
means a system that detects when one or
more of a vehicle's tires are underinflated and
illuminates a low tire pressure warn ing te ll­
tale .
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread from the tire
carcass .
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the princ ipal
grooves designed to give a visual indication of
the degrees of wear of the tread. See
¢
page 206, Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) for
more informat ion on measuring tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tire information system developed by the
United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Admin istration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among
tires . Th e U TQG is not a safety rating and not a
g ua ran tee that a tir e will las t for a prescribed
number of mi les or per form in a certain way.
It simply gives tire buyers additional informa­
tion to combine with other considerations,
Tires and wheels 199
such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recom­
mendations . Under UTQG, tires are graded by
the tire manufact urers in three areas: tread­
wear, traction and temperature resistance .
The UTQG informat ion on the tires, molded in­
to the sidewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" It begins
with the letters "DOT" and indicates that the
tire meets all federa l standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it
was manufactured, and the last four numbers
represent the week and year of manufacture.
For example,
DOT ... 2211 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22nd
week of 2011. 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 k ilograms) times the vehicle's to­
tal seating capacity as listed on the label lo­
cated on the driver's side B -pillar .
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individual tire that is
determined 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 individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each ax le its
share of the curb weight, accessory weight,
and normal occupant weight (distr ibuted in
accordance with table below¢
page 200)
and dividing by two.
•
•

208 Tires and wheels
handling when in good condition and properly
inflated ¢
.&..
We recommend that all work on tires and
wheels be perfo rmed by an authorized A udi
dealer. They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary special
tools and spare parts as well as the proper fa­
cilities for disposing of the old tires .
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about technica l requirements for
installing or changing tires and r ims.
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be rep laced 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 monitoring system
¢ page 214.
Always buy rep lacement radial tires that have
the same specifications as the tires approved
fo r your vehicle by Audi. Replacement tires
must always have the same load rating speci­
fication as the original equipment or approved
optional tires listed in the table ¢
page 200.
Audi-approved specification tires are specially
matched to your vehicle and its load limits,
and can contribute to the important road hold­
ing, driving characteristics, and safety of the
vehicle. The table
( q page 200) lists specifica­
tions of the tires approved for the Audi mod­
els covered by your Owner's Literature .
The tire pressure labe l located on driver's side
B-pillar
( q page 200, fig. 143) lists the speci­
f ications of the orig inal equipment tires in­
stalled on your veh icle at the time it was man­
ufactured .
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to
place standardized information on the s ide­
wall of all tires
¢ fig. 146. This information
identifies and describes the fundamental
characterist ics, the quality grade of the tire
and also provides a tire ident ificat ion number
fo r safety standard certificat ion and in case of
a recall.
Tire specifications
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it eas­
ier to choose the correct tires. Radial ti res
have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewa ll, for examp le:
P245/45R1795H
This conta ins the following information :
P Indicates the tire is for passenger cars
245 Nominal tire width in mm of the tire
from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the number, the wider
the tire
45 Height/w idt h ratio in percent (aspect ra-
t io)
R Tire construct ion: Radial
17 Rim diameter code (in inches)
95 Load rating code
H Speed rating letter code
XL (or "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF") indicates
t h at the t ire is a"Reinforced" or an "Extra
Load " tire
M+S (or "M/5") Indicates that the ti re has
some mud and snow capability
The tires could also have the information of
direction of rotat ion
q page 196.
Tire manufacturing date
The manufact uring date is also indicated on
the tire sidewall (possibly only on the
inner
side of the wheel):
"DOT ... 2211 ... "means, for examp le, that
the tire was produced in the 22nd week of
2011.
Speed rating (letter code)
The speed rating letter code on the whee ls in­
dicates the maximum permissible road speeds
¢.&. in Winter tires on page 212 .
p up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph ( 170 km/h)
s up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
u up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up
to 130 mph (210 km/h)

210 Tire s and wheel s
Driving with different tires reduces vehi­
cle handling and can lead to a loss of
co ntrol.
- If the spare tire is not the same as the
t ires that are mounted on the veh icle -
for example with winter tires - on ly use
the spare tire for a short period of time
and dr ive with extra ca re. Refit the nor­
ma l road whee l as soon as safely possi­
ble.
- Never drive faste r than the maximum
speed for which the tires o n your veh icle
are ra ted because ti res th at are driven
faster than their rated speed can fail
sudden ly .
- Over loading t ires c ause heat b uild- up,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation and loss of control.
- T emperature grades app ly to tires t hat
are properly inflated and not over o r un­
derinflated.
- F or technical reasons it is not a lways
possible to use wheels from other
vehicles -in some cases not even w heels
from the same vehicle model.
- If you insta ll wheel trim discs on t he ve­
hicle whee ls, make sure that the air f low
to the brakes is not blocked. Reduced air­
flow to the brakes can them to overheat, increasing stopping distances and caus­
ing a collision.
- Run flat t ires may on ly be used on
vehicles that were equ ipped w it h them
at the facto ry. The vehicle must have a
chassis des igned for run f lat t ires and a
fac to ry-installed t ire p ress ure moni to r­
ing system that ind ic a tes a loss of tire
pressure. Incorrect use of run flat tires
can lead to vehicle damage or accidents .
Check with an a uth orized Audi dea ler or
t i re spec ialist to see i f your vehicle can be
equipped with run flat tires. If r un flat
t ires a re used, they must be installed on
all four wheels . M ixing tire types is not
permitted . (D Note
-For technical reasons, it is not generally
poss ible to use the w heel rims from oth­
er ve hicles. T his can hold tr ue for wheels
of the same vehicle type.
- If the spare tire is diffe rent from the
tires that you have mounted on your ve­
hicle (for example winter tires or wide
profi le tires), then use the spare tire for a
short period of time only and drive w ith
extra care. Replace the flat tire w it h the
ti re mat ching the othe rs on your vehicle
as soon as possi ble.
- N ever d rive without the valve stem cap.
T he v alves co ul d get damaged.
@ For the sake of the environment
Dis pose of o ld tires in accordance w ith the
l ocal requirements.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- Tra ction AA A B (
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicab le
o n the tire s ide wall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width
¢ page 207,
fig. 146.
For example: Tread wear 200 , Traction AA,
Temperature A.
All passenger car ti res must conform to Feder­
al Safety Req uirements in add ition to these
grades .
Tread wear
The tread wear g rade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
u nder contro lled conditions o n a specified
government test course.
F o r example, a tire gra ded 150 wo uld wear
one and one ha lf (11/2) times as well on the
government course as a ti re graded 100.

The relative perform a nee of ti res depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how ­
ever, and may depart sign ificantly from the
norm due to var iat ions in dr iving habits, serv­
ice practices and differences in road character­
istics and climate .
Trac tion
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 cond itions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete . A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢,&. .
Temp erature
The temperature grades are A (the h ighest),
B, and
C, representing the t ire's resistance to
the generat ion of heat and its ability to dissi ­
pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
tions on a specified i ndoor 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 ti re fa ilu re ¢ ,&. .
The grade
C corresponds to a level of perform ­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
u nder the Federa l Moto r Veh icle Safety Stand­
ard No.
109. G rades Band A represent h igher
l eve ls of perfo rmance on the laboratory tes t
wheel than the minimum required by law .
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on stra ight-ahead b raking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplan ing or peak traction
character istics.
A WARNING
The temperature grade for this t ire is es­
tablished for a t ire that is p roperly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
-
Tire s an d wheel s 211
separately or in combinat ion, can ca use
heat bui ldup and possible tire failure.
Winter tires
Winter tires can improve vehicle handling on
snow and ice. At temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) we recommend changing to winter
tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These tires should
o nly be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels . Make sure you purchase snow
t ires that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped w ith all-whee l
drive*, th is w ill improve traction during winter
driv ing, even with the standa rd tires. Howev­
er, we strongly recommend that you always
equip all fou r wheels o n your veh icle w ith cor­
rect ly fitted winter tires o r all-season t ires,
when winter road condit ions are expe cted .
T his also improves the veh icle's braking per ­
formance and reduces stopping distances.
Summe r tires provide less grip on ice and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted
o n all fo ur wheels .
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for permitted
winter tire siz es. Use
only rad ial w inter t ires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of
0 .157 inch
(4 mm) .
Only drive w ith w inter t ires under w inter con­
dit ions. Summer t ires handle better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 45 °F (7 °() .
If you have a flat tire, see notes on spare
whee l
¢page 207.
Please a lways remember that winter tires may
have a lower speed rating than the tires origi -
nally installed on your vehicle at the time it .,.
•
•

212 Tire s and wheel s
was manufactured . Please see q page 208,
Speed roting (letter code) for a listing of the
speed rat ing letter codes and the maximum
speed at wh ich the t ires can be driven .
The speed rating letter code
( c::> page 199) is
on the side wall of the tire
c::> page 207.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max­
imum speed . Always know the maximum
speed before driving off . Never drive faster
than the speed permitted for your specific
w inter t ires. This will cause damage to the
tires leading to an accident and serious
pe rsonal inj ury to you and your passen­
gers .
A WARNING
= ~
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your vehicle
were designed can cause tire fai lure in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflat ion,
loss of control, crashes and serious per­
sonal injuries. Have worn or damaged tires
rep laced immed iate ly .
- Winter tires have maximum speed rat ing
that may be lower than your veh icle's
maximum speed .
- Never drive faster than the speed for
w hich the winter or other tires installed
on your vehicle are rated.
A WARNING
Always adjust your d riving to the road and
traffic conditions. Neve r let the good ac­
celeration of the wi nte r t ir es and all-whee l
dr ive temp t you in to taking extr a ris ks . A l­
ways remember :
- Whe n bra king , a n a ll-wheel d rive vehicle
hand les in the same way as a front drive
vehicle.
- Drive caref ully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even winter tires
cannot he lp under black ice conditions.
{® For the sa ke of the env ironment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are qu ieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
Snow chains
Snow cha ins may be f itted only to the front
whee ls, and only to certain tire sizes . Ask your
autho rized Aud i dealer on which tire sizes
snow c hains ca n be used.
If you are go ing to use snow chains, then you
must install them on the front whee ls at
least.
The snow chains must have low-prof ile links
and must not be t hicker than 0.53 inch
(13.5 mm), includ ing the lock .
Remove whee l center covers and trim discs
before putt ing snow cha ins on your vehicle
c::> Q) . For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fitted over the wheel bolts . These are ava il ­
able from autho rized Aud i dealers .
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chai ns for your veh i­
cle o r ins ta ll ing them in correct ly can in­
crease the risk o f loss of cont ro l leading to
se rious personal injury.
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes. Always make sure to follow the i n­
structions provided by the snow chain manufacturer .
- When driving with snow cha ins never
d rive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations .
(D Note
-Remove snow chain s before dr iv ing o n
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wearing the snow
chains down unnecessa rily.
- Snow chains, which come in to direc t con­
tact with the whee l rim, can scratch or
damage it . Therefore , make sure that the
1J1-

214 Tire s and wheel s
or ridges on the road, part icu larly if the tire is
u nderinflated.
I n o rder to m inim ize the o ccurrence of impact
damage to the t ires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau ­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended infla tion
pressures. Check your t ire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000
km) and add air if neces ­
sary .
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
t h rough or over such obstacles can damage
your tires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tires or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer. Replace a damaged
t ire as soon as possible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2,000 miles (3,000
km) for damage and wear . Damage is not al­
ways easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, wh ich could eventu­
ally cause t ire failure . If you be lieve that a
t ire may have been damaged, replace the
t ir e as soon as possible.
- T hese tires may wea r mo re quick ly than oth­
ers.
- Please a lso remember that, wh ile these t ires
deliver respons ive handling, they may ride
l ess comfortably and make mo re no ise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter /co ld
sea son condit ion s
All ti res a re des igned for certa in pu rposes.
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires originally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for max imum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling. They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather condit ions. If
you dr ive under those circumstances, you
should equip your vehicle with all -season or
winter tires, which offer better traction under
those cond it ions. We suggest you use the rec­
ommended snow or all-season tires specified
fo r your vehi cle, or their eq uivalent. Refer to
q page 211
for more detailed infor­
mation regarding winter tires.
Tire pressure monitoring system
General notes
Applies to veh icles: w ith tire pressure monitoring system
Each tire, incl uding the spare ( if provided),
sho uld be checked monthly when co ld and in­
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the veh icle manufacturer on the veh icle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
s ize indicated on the vehicle placard or tire i n­
flat ion p ressure label, you should dete rmine
the p roper t ire infla tion p ress ure fo r th ose
t i res.)
As an added safety feature, your ve hicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure mon itoring
system ( TPM S) tha t illum inates a low ti re
pressure tel ltale when one o r more of your
tires is significant ly under-inflated . Acco rding­
l y, when the low tire pressure telltale i llumi­
nates, you shou ld stop and check your tires as
soon as possib le, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a sign ificantly un­
der- inflated t ire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire fa ilure . Under-inflat ion al ­
so reduces fuel effic iency and tire tread life ,
and may affect the vehicle 's hand ling and
stopp ing abili ty.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire ma intenance, and it is the driv­
er's respons ibility to maintain co rrect tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the leve l to tr igger illum inat ion of the
T PMS low tire pressu re tellta le .
You r vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lf u nction indicator to ind icate when
the sys tem is not operating p roperly . Th e
T PMS ma lfunction indicator is combined w ith
t h e low tire pressure te lltale. When the sys­
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one min ute and then ..,_