ECO mode AUDI TT COUPE 2009 Owner's Guide

Child Safety -
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If the convertible locking retractor should be activated inadvert­
ently, the safety belt must be unfastened and gu ided co mple te ly
back into its stowed position to deactivate this feature. If the
convertible lock ing retractor is not deactivated, the safe ty be lt will
gradually become tighter and uncomfortab le to wear.
& WARNING
Improper ly in stalled child safet y seat s in crea se the risk of seri ous
personal injury and death in a colli sion.
• Never unfasten t he safety belt to d eactivate the c onvertible
locking retractor for child re straint s while the vehicle is moving .
You would not be re strained and could be seriou sly injured in an
accid ent.
• Alway s re ad and heed all WARNINGS whenever us ing a child
restrained in a vehicle is being used=:>
page 15 7. Spec ial precau ­
tion s app ly when in stalling a child safety se at on the fr ont
p assen ger seat =:>
pag e 13 7, "Child re straint s on the front seat -
s ome important thing s to know ".•
Additional Information
What types of child restraint anchors are
available and how are they related to child
safety?
For years, child restraints have been installed using the safety belts
a lready present i n every vehicle.
Since September 1, 1999, chi ld restraint manufacturers have been
providing tether straps that attach the top of the child restraint to
the vehicles structure, on most of their forward -facing systems in
order to comply with U.S. Federa l regu lations for child restraint
performance in a crash. Vehicle manufacture rs are required to
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
phase-in tether anchorages for attachment of the tether strap in
t heir U.S. vehic les beg inn ing September 1, 1999 .
The combination of the tether anchorages and the lower anchor ­
ages is now genera lly called the
LATCH system for " Lower Anchors
and Tether for C hildren".
( T he term "ISOFIX" regarding lower anchorages had been used by
Audi and other manufacturers in t he pas t, but LATCH is now the
standard name for the new child restraint anchorage system.)
Some child restraint system manufacturers have been providing
tether straps on certain models o f their child restraint systems,
either as standard equipment or as a retrofit, for severa l years.
Check w ith the manufacturer of the child restraint sys te m f or tether
strap availabi lity.
To provide a simpler and more practicable way to attach the child restraint system on the vehicle seat, U.S . Federal regu lations require
t he phase -in of lower anchorages in veh icles an d devices on new
child restraint systems to attach to the veh ic le ancho rages .
Child restraint system manufacturers will probably offer two kinds
of lower anchorages on their child safety seats
They cou ld come with:
• hook-on or push-on connectors attached to adjustable straps or
• rigid latches on bars that extend out the back of the child
restraint and are released with re lease buttons at the bottom of the
child restraint.
I n addition to the LATCH lower anchorages, both of these child
restra int systems use tether straps to help keep the chi ld restraint
system firmly in p lace. •
Where can I get additional information about
child restraint application and usage?
There are a numbe r of sources of additional information about child
restra int select ion, installation and usage: _.,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

the vehicle begins to skid, ESP brakes the appropriate wheel auto­matical ly .
The vehicle is stabilized again by the forces acting on the wheel during braking. With an oversteering vehicle (tendency for the rear
end to skid out of the curve), the brake application is mainly at the
front wheel on the outside of the curve, with an understeering
vehicle (tendency to run wide in the curve) at the rear wheel on the
inside of the curve or additionally at the other wheels as needed .
This brake application is accompanied by noises.
ESP works in conjunction with ABS=:>
page 187. If there is ma lfunc­
tion in the ABS, ESP is also inoperative .
Activa ting
The ESP is automatica lly activated when the engine is started, and
it performs a self-test. As soon as the test is completed, the system
is in normal operating mode . With ASR deactivated, or with ESP/ASR
deactivated, pressing the button=>
page 182, fig. 130 returns the
system to normal operation.
D eac tiva ting
ESP should norma lly be activated at all times because this ensures
optimum vehicle stability . Only in certain exceptional cases it does
make sense to deactivate Anti -Slip Regulation (ASR) or the Elec ­
tronic Stability Program !ESP) by pressing the button =:>
page 182,
fig. 130. Both deactivation stages can only be activated from normal
mode.
Dea cti vat ing ASR
Tap the switch . Deactivation is indicated by slow flashing of the ESP
lamp in the instrument c luster. In certain situations (e.g. driving
with snow chains, in deep snow or on loose ground, or when rocking the car free), it may be necessary to deactivate ASR. Deacti ­
vation is effective only up to a speed of about 45 mph (70 km/h). At higher speeds, ASR is switched on again automatical ly in front ­
whee l drive vehicles, deactivation is possible only up to about 30
mph (50 km/h). With all -whee l drive vehicles, ASR is active above
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
In
te llig ent tec hn olo gy
about 45 mph (70 km/h) and deactivated automatical ly below this
speed.
D eac tiva tin g ES P/ASR
Press the button for more than 3 seconds . Deactivation is indicated
by the ESP lamp in the instrument c luster staying on permanently .
This deactivates the E lectronic Stabi lity Program (ESP) in addition to
ASR . No Electronic Stability System operation and no Anti-Slip
Regu lation is availab le across the entire speed range; ASR and ESP
are activated only when the brakes are used for the duration of the
braking action and remain active until a stab le vehicle condition has
been reached. There is no driving situation which requires ESP to be
deactivated, so this should only be done if the driver's skill and the
traff ic situation permit .
& WARNING
• The limi ts of ph ysics ca nnot be suspe nd ed by E SP. E ven in vehi ­
cles w ith ESP, you should always adapt your dr iving to road and
tr affi c co ndition s. Thi s is part icul ar ly tr ue on a s lippe ry and wet
road . Do not be te mpt ed b y th e incre as ed safet y prov ided t o ta ke
ri sks - dang er of an acc ide nt!
• Plea se not e that when ASR or ESP /ASR i s de activ ated , the drive
w heel s ca n spin on icy and slipper y ro ad s an d the vehi cle can
break away - da nger of skiddin g!
Ii ] Tip s
In the event of a defect in the rear spoiler system or in Audi
magnetic ride, it can happen that ASR and ASR/ESP cannot be deac ­
tivated, or they are activated automatica lly in the deactivated
state. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

Activating
The ESP is automatically activated when the engine is started and it
performs a self-test. You can activate a deactivated ASR if required
by pressing the=>
page 182, fig. 130 button. When it is activated,
the message
ESP/ASR on appears briefly in the display. Vehicles
with front -wheel drive a deactivated ASR automatically re -activates
itself at a speed of 40 mph (70 km/h).
Deactivating
You can deactivate the ASR if required by pressing the button (for
less than 3 seconds)=>
page 182, fig. 130. With the ASR deactivated,
the ESP check light comes on, see=>
page 17. The message ASR off
appears in the display as well. On vehicles with front -wheel drive:
deactivation is possible only up to 30 mph (50 km/h) for safety
reasons. Vehicles with all -wheel drive : the ASR can be deactivated
at any speed.
The ASR should normally be activated all the time. Only in certain exceptional situations when some slip is desirable does it make
sense to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck.
When the abnormal situation is over, you should activate the ASR
again.
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[ i J Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four wheels must be fitted
with identical tires. Any differences in rolling radius of the tires can
Intelligent technology
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also ::::>
page 246, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels".
Rear spoiler
The rear spoiler improves vehicle handling and enhances
driver control.
Fig. 131 Switch for
rear spoiler
The rear spoiler deploys and retracts. Spoiler operation can be set
for automatic or manual operation .
Automatic mode (normal operation)
• Automatic deployment : At a speed of about 75 mph (120 km/h),
the rear spoiler deploys automatically.
• Automatic retraction: When speed drops below about 50 mph
(80 km/h), the rear spoiler retracts automatically.
Manual mode
• Manual deployment: Tapping briefly on the switch ::::> fig. 131
deploys the rear spoiler .
• Manual retraction: At speeds up to about 10 mph (20 km/h),
retract the rear spoiler by pressing and holding the switch
::::> fig. 131. At speeds between 10 mph (20 km/h) and 75 mph (120
km/h), retract the rear spoiler by tapping on the switch=> fig. 131 .
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

If t he brakes ar e not used frequently , or if corrosion has for med on
th e d iscs, i t is adv isa ble to cl ean off the pads a nd disc s by braki ng
firm ly a f ew times from a moderate ly high speed=:> &.
Faults in the brake system
I f yo u shou ld notice a
sudden i ncrease in bra ke pedal trave l, then
o ne of th e two b rake c ircui ts may hav e fa iled =:>& .
Low brake fluid level
M alf unc tions ca n occu r in the br ake system if th e b ra ke flu id leve l is
too low . Th e brake fluid level is monitored e lectronica lly.
Brake lining wear status
B ra ke l inin g wea r may be c hec ked by v is u al inspection of the condi ­
tion o f the b rake pads t hrou gh the ope ning s in th e wheel. If neces ­
sary, the wheel may be removed for this inspection=:> page 268,
' 'W hat s hou ld I be aw are o f wh en ch ang ing a ti re ?".
Brake power assist unit
T he bra ke po wer assist unit increas es the pressure that you
generate with the b ra ke peda l. It work s only when the engine is
r u n nin g.
& WARNING
• You should perform braking maneuvers for the purpose of
cleaning the brake system only if road conditions permit . Other
road users must not be put at risk -you may cause an accident!
• Before descending a steep grade , reduce speed and shift trans­
mission into a lower gear or lower driving position . Do not ride the
brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often. This could
cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking efficiency .
• Do not "ride the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when
you do not intend to brake . This may cause the brakes to overheat ,
premature wear and increased stopping distance .
• Under certain climatic and operating conditions such as
passing through water , driving in heavy rain or after washing the
Controls and equip­ ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
& WARNING
(continued )
vehicle, the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced . In winter ,
ice can accumulate on the brake pads , linings , discs and drums .
Cautiously apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry and ice coatings
will be cleaned off after a few cautious brake applications.
• Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads
without using your brakes can also affect braking efficiency. Clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few
cautious brake applications.
• If you damage the front spoiler , or if you install a different
spoiler, be sure the air flow to the front brakes is not obstructed.
Otherwise the brake system could overheat reducing the effective­
ness of the entire brake system.
• Failure of one brake circuit will impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance. Avoid driving the
vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Audi dealer or qualified
workshop.
• Never let the veh icle roll to a stop with the engine shut off .
• If the brake booster is not working, for example when towing
your vehicle , or because the brake booster has somehow been
damaged , the brake pedal must be pre ssed considerably harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance . •
Anti- lock brake system CABS)
ABS preve nts th e wheels from lo cking under br aking.
The anti -loc k brake syste m (ABS) makes a major contribution to
i nc reas ing active d rivi ng sa fety . You s ho ul d not e xp e ct that braki ng
distances wi ll be
shortened und er all circumstances with ABS .
B ra kin g dis tance may even become s omewhat lon ger, for exa mple,
on gravel or in new snow on s lippery ground, even if you are driving
c aref ully a nd s lowly .
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

___ D_ r_ iv _i_ n-' g"'""'- a_ n_d_ e_ n _ v_i_r _ o _n_ m_ e_ n_t _____________________________________________ _
- Lack of proper maintenance as well as improper use of the
vehicle will impair the function of the emission con trol system
and could lead to damage.
Even when the Emission Control System is operating properly, the
exhaust gas can have a su lfur -like exhaust gas smell under some
operating states . This depends on the su lfur content of the fuel
being used. Using a different brand of fuel may he lp, or filling the
tank with lead-free super grade gasoline. •
Avoid damaging the vehicle
When you are driving on poor roads, or over curbs, steep ramps,
etc., make certain that low-lying parts such as spoilers and exhaust
system parts do not bottom out and get damaged.
This is especially true for vehicles with low-slung chassis (sports
chassis) and fully loaded vehicles. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine the economy
of your vehicle, as well as exhaust and noise levels.
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and wear on your engine,
brakes and t ires largely depend on three factors:
• your personal driving style
• operating condit ions
• technical limitations If
you anticipate what you need to do next and drive economically,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10-15 percent . This
section will give you some tips on how you can he lp the environ­
ment and your pocketbook .
[ i ] Tips
The consumption estimates as published by ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre­
spond to your actua l consumption on the road, which will vary
depend ing upon vehicle load and speed, road and weather condi­
tions, trip length, etc. •
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are accelerating.
Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking.
Vehicles use the most fue l when they are accelerating . If you antici­
pate what is going to happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast whenever possible -for
example when you see that the next traffic light is red. •
Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and improves your
mileage.
- Try and keep well below your car's maximum speed.
Acce lerating gently reduces fuel consumption, engine wear, and
does not disturb the environment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and engine noise increase
disproportionately at high speeds. If you drive at approximately
three quarters of top speed, fuel consumption wil l be reduced by
9J,,

-~_C_ h_e _c _ k_ i_n ...:::g::;...._ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ll _in -'g:::;.._ ___________________________________________ _
& WARN ING (c o ntinued )
• Continuou s contact with used en gine oil i s harmful to your
sk in. Alway s prote ct your skin b y wa shi ng oil off thoroughly with
soap and water .
0 Note
Never mix oil additives with your engine oil. These additives can
damage your engine and adversely affect you r Audi Limited New
Vehicle Warranty.
<£> For the sake of the environment
• Before changing your oil, first make sure you know where you
can proper ly dispose of t he used oil.
• Always dispose of used engine oil properly . Do not dump it on
garden soil, wooded areas, into open strea ms or down sewage
drains .
• Recycle used eng ine oi l by taking it to a used eng ine oi l collec ­
tion facility in your area, or contact a service station. •
Engine cooling system
Coolant
The e ngine coolant perfor ms tw o functions: i t kee ps the
en gine from overheatin g and i t pro tects the engi ne from
freezing in the winter.
The cooling system is sea led and general ly requires litt le attention.
The coo ling sys tem has been f illed at the factory with a permanen t
coo lant which does not need to be changed. The coolant consists of
a mixture of water and the ma nufacturer 's glyc ol- basedco olan t
additive
G12++ antifreeze w ith anti corrosion additives (50% for USA models; 60% for Canadian mode
ls) . T his mixture both assures the
n ecessary fros t pr otection a nd protects metal co mpo nents in the
engine's cooling system from corrosion and scaling. It also raises
t he boil ing point of the coolant .
Do not reduce the concentration of the coo lant in the su mmer by
adding plain water.
The proportion of coolant additive mu st be at
lea st 50 % but not more than 60 %
to maintai n antifreeze pro tection
and cooling efficiency. If the coolant frost protection is too low, the
coo la nt co uld free ze and damage the vehic le heating and engine
coo ling system .
For year-round driving, antifree ze is added at the factory for temper­
atures down to:
• - 31 °F ( -35 °C) USA
• -40 °F ( -40 °C) Canada.
You can mix the
G 12+ + coolant additive with other additives (G12+
or G12). Always check w ith your authorized Audi dealer.
& WARNING
Before you check anything in the engine compartment, alway s
read and heed all WARNINGS
~ & in "Working in the engine
compartment " on
page 217.
0 Note
• Before winter sets in, have the coolant checked to see if the
coo lant additive in your vehicle is suff icient to meet the c limate
co nd itions . This is e special ly impor tant i f you live in a region where
the winter is extremely cold. If necessary, increase the proportion of coo lant additive t o 60%.
• When adding coolant additive to your cooling system,
r emem ber:
- We recommend using on ly coolant additive
G 12+ + (check the
l abel) for your veh ic le . Th is coolant additive is available at autho -
rized Audi dealers. Other types of antifreeze can significantly ._

_____________________________________________ C_h_ e_ c _ k_in --= g'-a _ n_d _ f_il _li _n -=g =-- ____.•
• the engine compartment heats up because the vehicle is parked
in intense sunlight.
& WARNING
• To reduce the risk of personal injury never touch the radiator
fan.
• The auxiliary electric fan is temperature controlled and can
switch on suddenly even when the engine is not running .
• The auxiliary radiator fan switches on automatically when the
engine coolant reaches a certain temperature and will continue to
run until the coolant temperature drops. •
Brake fluid
Checking brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked with a quick glance.
Fig. 143 Engine
compartment: brake
fluid reservoir
Before you check anything in the engine compartment,
always read and heed all WARNINGS=> & in "Working in
the engine compartment" on
page 217.
-Read the brake fluid level from the brake fluid reservoir
=> fig. 143. The brake fluid level must be between the
"MIN" and "MAX" markings.
The brake fluid reservoir is located behind the rear partition of the
engine compartment on the left side~ page 218.
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the auto ­
matic adjustment of the brake pads. This is not cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably below the "MIN" mark, the
brake warning/indicator light (U.S. models:
BRAKE, Canadian models:
(Cf))) will come on~ page 19 and~ page 33. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle. The complete brake system should be thor­
oughly checked by an authorized Audi dealer or other qualified
facility and the cause corrected. If the brake fluid level is too low, the
brake warning/indicator light will illuminate. Contact an authorized
Audi dealer
immediately. •
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experienced techni­
cian.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. If the water content in the
brake fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake system may result
after a period of time . The boiling point of the brake fluid will also
decrease considerably and decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be changed
every two years. Always
use new brake fluid which conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Stan­
dard "FMVSS 116 DOT 4".
The brake fluid reservoir can be difficult to reach, therefore, we
recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by your autho­
rized
Audi dealer. Your dealer has the correct tools, the right brake
fluid and the know-how to do this for you.
~
Vehic le care I I irechnical data

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ l'III
•
If yo u w is h to impr ove com fort when operat ing the vehi cle at
nor mal load (up t o 2 occupant s), you c an adju st tire pres sur es to
th ose spe cified f or norm al v ehi cle lo ad . B efo re op era tin g the vehicle
at maximum load , you mu st in crease the tire pre ssure s to tho se
s pe cifi ed for m aximum vehi cle lo ad =>
& .
Bear in mind that the tire pressure mon itor ing syst em * can only
monitor the tire pressures you have stored. The system does not
recogni ze th e load cond ition o f you r vehicle .
T he effec tiveness of the tire pressu re monitoring system * will be
impaired if you store no rmal load pressures bu t then operate the
vehicle at its maximum load=>& . See the
illustra tion=>
page 238, fig . 148 for the location of the label
on driver's side 8 -pillar (co lor of the actual label and exact location
on the vehic le wi ll vary slightly).
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 dr iver's side 8 -pillar) always takes precedence .
The table below lists the recommended cold tire i nflation pressures
for the Audi mode l covered by your Owner 's Litera ture at the
vehicle's capacity weight and the tire sizes insta lled on the respec ­
tive models as original equipment , or as a factory option .
Engine
(displ ace­
m ent in
liter ) Tir
e design ation Tire pr es sur e front Tire press ure re ar
4 -c ylinder
2 .0 225
/55 R16 95H All Se ason
225 /50 R17 94H All S eason
2 2 5/5 0 R17 94W XL High Perf orma nce
245 /45 R17 95H All Sea son
2 45 /45 R17 95 V XL High Perform ance
245 /40 R18 93H All Se ason
245 /40 R18 93V XL High P erformance
255 /35 R19 96V XL High Perform ance
normal lo ad
conditi on (up to
2 occup ant s)
PSI kPA
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
full load
c ondition
PSI kPA
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 2 20
Vehicle care
n o rm al l oa d
full load
co ndition (up
condition
to 2 o ccupant s)
PSI kPA PSI kPA
29 200 29 200
29 200 29 200
29 200 29 200
29 200 29 200
29 200 29 200
29 200 29 200
29 200 29 200
29 200 29 200
I t •

-Tires and wheels
P'tr:1-------------------
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs befor e putting snow
ch ain s on y our ve hic le ~
(D. For sa fe ty rea sons c over ca ps m us t
th en be fitted over the wheel bo lts. These ar e avai lable from autho ­
rized Audi deale rs.
& WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for your vehicle or installing them
incorrectly can increase the risk of loss of control leading to
serious personal injury.
• Snow chains are available in different sizes . Always make sure
to follow the instructions provided by the snow chain manufac ­
turer .
• When driving with snow chains never drive faster than the
speed permitted for your spec ific snow chains.
• Always observe local regulations.
0 Note
• Remove s now c hains befo re driv ing on roads no t cove re d w it h
snow to avoid damag ing tires and wearing the snow chains down
un nece ss aril y.
• Snow chains, whic h come into direct contact with the wheel rim,
can scratch or da mag e it. There fo re , m ake sure t hat th e s now ch ai ns
a re s uitably covered. Check the position of the snow chains after
dr ivin g a few yar ds a nd correct if ne cessary . Fo ll ow the in struc tions
from t he snow cha in manufacturer when do ing so.
[ i ] Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on certain roads, this normal ly
a ls o ap plies to vehicle s w ith All W hee l Dr ive.•
Wheel bolts
W heel bo lts mu st a lways be ti ghte ned to t he corr ect
t o rq ue .
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the facto ry instal led rims . If
diff eren t rim s are fitt ed, t he cor rect w heel bol ts with the r ig ht le ngth
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that
w hee ls a re fitted securely and t hat t he brake sys te m funct io ns
correctly.
In cer tain ci rc u ms tances, yo u may no t use whee l b olt s fro m a
different vehicle -even if it is the same model~
page 295.
& 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 be ing installed.
• Never use different wheels bolts on your vehicle.
• Always maintain the correct tightening torque for the wheel
bolts to reduce the risk of a wheel loss .
If the tightening torque of
the wheel bolts is too low , they can loosen and come out when the
vehicle is moving. If the tightening torque is too high, the wheel
bolts and threads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
0 Note
The specified torq ue for the wheel bolts is 9 0 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
t o lerance of± 7,4 f t lb (± 10 N m). To rque w hee l bo lt s d ia g ona lly .
After chang ing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as
~

Tires a nd wh eels -
----------------
•
possible with a torque wrench -preferably by an authori zed Audi
dea ler or qua lified workshop. •
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These t ires
have been thorough ly tested and been selected specifically for your
model for their superb performance , road feel and hand ling under
a variety of driving conditions . Ask your authorized Audi dealer for
more deta ils.
The low aspect rat io of these t ires is indicated by a numera l of
5 5 or
les s
in the tire's si ze designation. The numeral represents the ratio
of the tire's sidewa ll height in relation to its tread wid th expressed
in perc entage. Conv entiona l tires have a h eight/width ratio of 60 or
more .
The p erform an ce of lo w-aspe ct-r a tio tire s is pa rti cula rly sen siti ve to
improp er inflation pre ssure . It i s ther efore important that low
a spect ratio tir es are inflat ed to the sp ec ified pre ssure and th at the
i nflation pr es su re is regularl y checked and mainta ined . Tire pr es­
s ure s should be che cked at le ast once a month and alw ay s before a
long tr ip :::;, page
247, "Checking tire pressure".
What you can d o to av oid tire and rim d amage
Low aspect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ly by impact with
potholes, curbs, gul lies or r idges on the road, particularly i f the t ire
is underinflated.
In order to min imize the occurrence of impact damage to the tires
of your vehicle , we recommend that you observe the following
precautions:
• Always maintain recommended inflat ion pressures . Check your
tire pressure every 2 ,000 miles (3,000 km) and add air if necessary.
• Drive carefully on roads with potholes , deep gullies or ridges.
The impact from driving through or over such obstacles can
damage your t ires. Impact with a curb may also cause damage to
your tires . •
After any impact , immediately inspect your tires or have them
inspected by the neares t authorized Audi dea ler . Replace a
damaged tire as soon as possib le.
• Inspec t you r tires every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) for damage and
wear . Damage is not always easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of
air and underin flation, which cou ld eventua lly cause tire fai lure. If
you be lieve that a tire may have been damaged , replace the tire as
soon as possible .
• These tires may wear more quickly than others.
• Please also remember that, while these tires de liver responsive
handling, they may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
R edu ced p erform an ce in w int er/c old sea son
c ondition s
All tires are designed for c ertain purposes . The low aspect ratio,
ultra h igh performance tires origina lly instal led o n your vehic le are
intended for maximum dry and wet road performance and hand ling.
They are no t sui table for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions . If
you drive under those circumstances , you should equip your vehic le
with al l- season or winte r ti res, which offer better tract ion under
those conditions . We suggest you use the recommended snow or
all -season tires specified for your vehicle, or their equiva lent.
Refer to:::;,
page 250 for more de tai led information regarding winter
tires. •
Tire pressure monitoring system
Applies to vehi cles : with tire p ressu re mon itori ng sy stem
General notes ....J
Each t ire, including the spare (if p rovided), should be checked
month ly when co ld and inflated to the inflation pressure recom­
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placa rd or tire
inf la tion pressure label. ( If your vehicle has tires of a different s ize _,.
Vehicle care I t •