steering AUDI TT ROADSTER 2008 Owner's Manual

-Airbag system ----=---'---------------------------------------------
& WARNING (continued)
• To reduce the risk of injury when the airbags inflate, the driver
and passengers must always sit in an upright position, must not
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located .
• Occupants who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye~ page
147.
& WARNING
A child in a rearward -facing child safety seat installed on the front
passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the
front airbag inflates -even with an Advanced Airbag System .
• The inflating airbag will hit the child safety seat or infant
carrier with great force and will smash the child safety seat and
child against the backrest, center arm rest, door or roof.
• If you must install a rearward facing child safety seat on the
front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances and
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light does not come on and stay on ,
immediately install the rear -facing child safety seat in a rear
seating position and have the airbag system inspected by your
Audi dealer .
& WARNING
Objects between you and the airbag will increase the risk of injury
in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by
being pushed into you as the airbag inflates .
• Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle
is in use .
• Never transport items on or in the area of the front passenger
seat . Objects could move into the area of the front airbags during
& WARNING (continued)
braking or other sudden maneuver and become dangerous projec­
tiles that can cause serious personal injury if the airbags inflate.
• Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup
holders, telephone brackets, large , heavy or bulky objects) on the
doors , over or near the area marked "AIRBAG" on the steering
wheel, instrument panel , seat backrests or between those areas
and yourself . These objects could cause injury in a crash, espe­
cially when the airbags inflate .
• Never recline the front passenger's seat to transport objects .
Items can also move into the area of the side airbag or the front
airbag during braking or in a sudden maneuver . Objects near the
airbags can become projectiles and cause injury, particularly when
the seat is reclined.
& WARNING
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing
problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing
conditions.
• To reduce the risk of breathing problems , those with asthma or
other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by
getting out of the vehicle or opening windows or doors .
• If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy, wash your
hands and face with mild soap and water before eating .
• Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or into any cuts or
scratches .
• If the residue should get into your eyes , flush them with
water. •

___ A_ ir_ b_ a-g _ s_y _s_ t_ e_ m _________________________________________________ _
Repair, care and disposal of the airbags
Parts of the airbag system are installed at many different places on
your Audi. Ins tal li n g, r em ovin g, s erv ic ing o r re pairi ng a part in an
area of the veh icle can damage a part of an a irbag system and
prev ent th at system from working pr oper ly in a c ollisio n.
There are some important things you have to know to make sure
that the effect ive ness of the system will not be impai red and that
discarded co mpone nts do not cause inju ry or po llute t he env iro n­
ment .
& WARNING
Improper care , servicing and repair procedures can increase the
r isk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from
deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
• Never cover , obstruct , or change the steering wheel horn pad
or airbag cover or the instrument panel or modify them in any way.
• Never attach any objects such as cup holders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units.
• For cle aning the horn pad or instrument panel , use only a soft ,
dry cloth or one moi stened with plain water. Solvents or cleaners
could damage the airbag cover or change the stiffness or strength
of the material so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect prop ­
erly .
• Never repair , adjust , or change any parts of the airbag system.
• All work on the steering wheel , instrument panel, front seats or
electrical system (including the installation of audio equipment ,
cellular telephones and CB radios, etc .} must be performed by a
qualified technician who has the training and spec ial equipment
ne cessary .
• For any work on the airbag system , we strongly recommend
that you see your authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
• Never modify the front bumper or parts of the vehicle body.
& WARNING (continued)
• Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without inter­
ference :
- Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the
front seatbacks that have not been specifically approved by
Audi .
- Never use addit ional seat cushions that cover the areas
where the side airbags inflate.
- Damage to the original seat covers or to the seam in the area
of the side airbag module must always be repaired immedi ­
ately by an authorized Audi dealer .
• The airbag system can be activated only once . After an airbag
has inflated, it must be replaced by an authorized Audi dealer or
qualified technician who has the technical information , training
and special equipment necessary.
• The airbag sy stem can be deployed only once . After an airbag
has been deployed , it must be replaced with new replacement
parts designed and approved especially for your Audi model
version. Replacement of complete airbag systems or airbag
components must be performed by qualified workshops only .
Make sure th at any airbag service action is entered in your Audi
Maintenance
& Warranty booklet under AIRBAG REPLACEMENT
RECORD .•
Other things that can affect Advanced Airbag
performance
Changing the vehic le 's suspension system can change the way that
th e A dva nced Ai rbag Sys te m p erform s in a c ras h. F or example,
using tire -rim combinations not approved by Audi, lowering the
ve hicle, c hanging the stiff ness of th e sus pensi on, in clud ing the
springs, suspens ion struts, shock absorbers etc . can chang e the
forces that a re measured by the airbag sensor s and sent to the e lec -
tronic control unit. Some suspension changes ca n, for example, .,_

increase the force levels measured by the sensors and ma ke the
a irbag sy ste m d eploy in crashes in which it wou ld not deploy if the
changes had no t been made . Other kinds of changes may reduce
the force levels measured by the sensors and prevent the airbag
from deploying when it should.
The sensors in the safety belt buckle for the driver and front
passenger seat te ll the electronic control module i f the safety belt is
latched or not. If the safety belt is being used, the front airbag will
deploy at a sligh tly h igher rate of vehic le d ece leration than if the
safety belt is not being used. Therefore , in a particular co llision , it is
possible that an ai rbag will not deploy at a seating position where
the safety belt is being used but will inflate at the posi tion where the
safety belt is not being used . It is important tha t nothing interfere
with the safety belt buckles so t hat the sensors can send the co rrect
information about safe ty belt use to the elec tronic control unit.
& WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspen sion including use of unapproved
tire -rim combinations can change Advan ced Airbag performan ce
and in crease the risk of serious personal injury in a cra sh.
• Never in stall su spen sion compone nts that do not have the
same performance characteristics as the components originally
in stalled on your vehi cle.
• Never use tire -rim combination s that have not been approved
by Audi.
& WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt bu ckle and the center
console can cau se the sen so rs in the buckle to send the wrong
inform ation to the ele ctron ic control module and prevent the
Advanced Airbag System from working properly .
• Always make sure that nothing can interfere with th e safety
belt buckle s and that they are not obstructed.
Safety first
Airbag sy ste m
ffi For the sake of the environment
Undeployed airbag modu les and pretensioners might be classified
as Perchlorate Material -specia l handling may apply, see
www.dtsc .ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. When the vehicle or
parts of the restraint system including airbag modules safety belts
with prete nsioners are scrapped, all appl icable laws and regu la­
tions must be observed . Your au thori zed Audi dealer is familiar wi th
t hese requirements a nd we rec ommend that y ou have your dea ler
perform this service for you. •
Knee airbags
Description of knee airbags
The air bag system can pr ovide supplemen tal pr otec tio n
to pro perly restrained fron t seat occupants.
Fi g. 13 4 D rive r's
airba g
The ai rbag for the driver is located in the instrument panel under ­
neath the steering wheel:=:, fig. 134 , the airbag for the passenger is
at about the same height in the instrum ent panel underneath the
glove compartment.
T he knee airbag offers add itional protection to the driver 's and
p assenger 's knees and upper and lower thigh areas as a supple -
ment to the safety belts . •
Vehicle care I I irechnical data

_____________________________________________ C_ h _ il_d _S_ a _ fe_t.....: y'----""
& WARNING
If , in e xceptional circum sta n ce s, y ou mu st in stall a forward -fa cing
c hild re straint on the front pa ssenger' s seat:
• Always m ake sure the forw ard-f acing se at has b een de signed
and cert ified by it s manufa cturer for use on a front seat with a
p ass eng er fro nt and side airbag .
• Alwa ys follow the manufacturer' s instruc tion s provided with
the child s afet y seat or carrier .
• Alway s move the p assenger sea t into it s rearmo st po sition in
the seat's fore and aft adjustme nt r ange , as far a way from the
airbag as po ssible before in stalling the child restraint. The ba ck­
rest must be adju sted to an upr ight p osition .
• Alway s m ake sure th at the PASSEN GER AIR BA G OFF l ight
c ome s on and stay s on all the time wheneve r the ignition is
s witched on. •
Advanced front airbag system and children
Your vehicle is equipped with a dual-stage front "Advanced Airbag
System" in comp liance with United States Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard (F MVSS) 208 as applicab le at the t ime your vehic le
was manufactured .
The Advanced Airbag sys tem in yo ur vehicle has been cer tified to
meet the "low -risk" requirements for 3 and 6 year -old children on
the passenger side and small adults on the d river side. The low risk
deployment criteria are intended to reduce the risk of injury through
interaction with the airbag that can occur, for examp le, by being too
close to the steering wheel and instrument pane l when the airbag
inflates . In addition, the system has been certified to comp ly with
the "suppression" requirements of the Safety Standa rd, to turn off
the front airbag for infants up to 12 months who are restrained on
the front passenger sea t in child restraints that are listed in the
Standard .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag
system, a child should always ride in theseat pr operly restrained for
its age and size. The airbag on the passenger side makes the front
seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride. The front seat
is not the safest place for a child in a forward -facing child safety
seat . It can be a very dangerous p lace for an infant or a larger child
in a rearward -facing seat. •
Advanced Airbags and the weight -sensing
mat in the front seat
The Advanced A irbag System in your vehicle detects the presence
of an infan t or child in a chi ld rest rain t on the front passenger seat
using the weight -sensing mat in the seat cushion and the sensor
below the safety belt latch on the front passenger seat that
measures the tension on the sa fety belt.
The weight -sensing mat measures total weight of the child and the
child safety seat and a chi ld blanke t on the front passenger seat . The
weight on the front passenger seat is related to the design of the
child res tra int a nd i ts "footprin t", the size and shape o f the b ottom
of the child restraint as it sits on the seat . T he weight of a child
restra in t and its " footprint" va ry for different kinds of ch ild
restraints and for the different models of the same kind of chi ld
restraint offered by child restraint manufacturers .
The weight ranges for the ind ividual types, makes and models of
child restraints that the NHTSA has specified in the Safety Standard
t ogether with the weight ranges of typical infan ts and typica l 1 year ­
old chi ld have been stored in the control unit of the Advanced
Airbag Sys tem. When a child res traint is being used on the front
passenger seat with a typical 1 year-old chi ld, the Advanced Airbag
System compares the weight measured by the we ight sensing ma t
with the information stored in the e lectronic control unit.
The electronic contro l unit also registers the tension on the front
passenger safe ty bel t. The tension on the safety be lt for the front
passenger seat will be different for an adult who is properly using •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

_1--_l_ n _t _ e _ll _,ig ,_,_ e_n _t _ t_ e_ c_ h_n _o_ l_ o ~g""- y.e- __________________________________________ _
Intelligent technology
Notice about data recorded by
vehicle control modules
Your vehicle is not equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR),
installed by some manufacturers for the express purpose of
capturing data for retrieval after an accident or crash event . EDR's
are sometimes called "crash recorders".
Some state laws restrict the retrieval or downloading of data stored
by EDR's that were installed in a vehicle for the express purpose of
retrieving data after an accident or crash event w ithout the owner's
consent.
Although your vehicle is not equipped with an EDR, it is equipped
with a number of electronic control modules for various vehicle systems such as, for example, engine function, emission control, as
well as for the airbags and safety belts.
These electronic control modules also record vehic le-related data
during norma l vehicle opera tion for diagnostic and repair purposes .
The recording capacity of the electronic control modules is limited
to data (no sound is recorded) and only a small amount of data is
actually recorded over a very limited period of time and stored when
a system fault or other condition is sensed by a control unit. Some
of the data then stored may relate to vehic le speed, direction,
braking as well as restraint system use and performance in the
even t of a crash or other condition . Stored data can only be read and
downloaded with special equipment.
Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP)
Genel'61
The Electronic Stability Program increases driving
sta bility.
Fig . 142 Cente r
cons ole with ESP
sw itch
With ESP, control over the veh icle is increased in situations when
the vehicle is close to the limits of grip, such as during acce leration
and in curves. ESP reduces the risk of skidding a nd improves vehicle
stability under all road conditions . It operates at all speeds .
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), E lec tronic Differentia l Lock (EDS)
and Anti-Slip Regulation System (ASR) are integrated in the Elec­
tronic Stability Program .
H ow ESP work s
The ESP control unit processes the following data from high-sensi ­
tive sensors: the rotational speed of the vehicle about its vertica l
axis, fore -and -aft and lateral acceleration forces, brake pressure and
steering angle.
Using steering ang le and vehicle speed, the direction the driver
wishes to travel is determined and continuously compared with
actual vehicle behavior . If the two do not match, for example when

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 189. 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 184, fig. 142 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 184,
fig. 142. Both deactivation stages can only be activated from normal
mode.
Dea cti vat ing ASR
Tap the switch . Deactivation is indicated by s low 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 a ll -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 accident !
• Plea se note that when ASR or ESP /ASR i s deactivated , the drive
w heel s can spin on icy and slipper y ro ad s and 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

--~ln~t~ e~ l~ li ~g ~e~ n~ t~ te ~ c~h ~n ~ o~ l'..!: o ~g~ yL ________________________________________ _
(ABS control range). In order for ABS to be ab le to operate optima lly
in th is range, you m ust keep the brake pe dal depressed -do not
"pump the brakes" .
Brake ass istant
T he brake power assist unit increases the pressure that you
ge nera te wi th the brake pedal. I t wo rks only whe n the e ngine is
running .
Automatic full braking
This function al lows fu ll braking in spite of high brake pedal forces
(e .g. whe n the b rakes are seve rely s tresse d beca use the veh ic le is
ful ly loaded). The driver notices this function through a reduction of
pedal force a nd i ncrease d pe dal trave l. W hen the brake peda l is
released, fu ll braking assist switches off again automatically .
If there is an ABS fail ure , the brake assistant and automatic fu ll
brak in g ass ist are not ava ilable.
& WARNING
• ABS cannot suspend the la ws of physics . You should keep this
in mind in particular on an icy or wet road . If ABS control of braking
intervenes , you should adjust your speed immediately to road and
traffic condit ions. Do not be tempted by the increased safety
provided to t ake risks -danger of an accident.
• Please keep in mind that the risk of an accident is increased by
dri ving too fast, pa rticularly in bends and on icy or wet roads , and
by driving too close to the vehicle ahead . The increased risk of an
accident cannot be reduced by the brake as sistant - danger of an
accident .
[ i ] Tips
If a ma lfunction occurs in the ABS, this is signa lled by an indicator
lig ht, see
=> page 20. •
Electro-mechanical power assist
-----
The e lec tro -m ec han ical pow er as sis t h el ps th e dri ver
w he n steering.
T he degree of power assist is electronically matched to vehic le
sp eed .
Th e power steering system ass ists the driver so that he can steer the
ve hicle wi th re duced phy sica l eff ort .
P ower steer ing w ill not wo rk if the engine is o ff. As a result, the
steering wheel wi ll be hard to turn.
& WARNING
If the system develops a problem, you must seek qualified profes­
sional assistance .
0 Note
If there is an electronic ma lfunction , servotronic will still funct ion
l ike a conventional power stee ring system, providing a constant
steer in g suppo rt fo rce t hat is no lon ge r proportionate to t he veh icle
speed . This is most noticeable when turning the steering wheel at
lo w spe eds (fo r examp le w hen park ing), -mo re effor t will be
required than usual.
• B e awa re of the d iffer ent than usua l ste ering response and
adjust your steering force accordingly.
• H ave the problem chec ked and set ri ght by an authorized Audi
dea ler as soon as possible .
• I f a steering ma lfunct ion occurs, this is signaled with the~ or.
@ in d ica to r ligh ts and a war ning tone, see . ._

[ i ] Tips
• If the pow er st eering sy stem sho uld fa il, or if the e ng ine is not
running (for examp le , whi le being towed), you will stil l be able to
st eer the ve hicle . How eve r, more e ffort w ill be required to do so.
• I f the powe r steering system is not f unctioning pr ope rly, contact
your authorized Audi dea ler immediate ly.
Ap plies to vehicles : wit h A ll Wheel Driv e
Driving w ith your quattro®
With All Wheel Drive, all four w heels ar e dri ven.
General information
With All W hee l Dr ive, power is d is tr ibute d to all fou r whee ls . T his
happens automat ica lly depending on your driving style and the
r oad cond itio ns at the time. See also =>
page 186, "E lec tronic diffe r­
entia l lock ( EDU" .
Winter tires
When driving in the winter, your vehic le with All Wheel Drive has an
advantage, even wi th regula r t ir es . In winter road conditions it may
be advisable to mount winter tires (or all -season tires) for improved
driveabi lit y an d braking : these tires m ust be mounted on
all four
wheels .
See also=> page 254 , "Win ter t ires" .
Snow chains
Where tire cha ins are mandatory on certain roads, this normally
a lso a pplies t o vehic le s wi th Al l Wheel Drive =>
page 255, "Sn ow
chains".
Replacing wheels /tires
Vehicles with A ll Wheel Drive must always have tires of the same
s iz e. Also av oid t ires w it h d iff eren t tr ead dep ths. For details see
page=>
page 249, " New tires and replacing tires and whee ls " .
Controls and equip­
ment Safety first Vehicle operation
Intelligent technology
Off
-Road driving?
Your Audi d oes not have en ough gr ound clea rance to be use d as a n
off -road vehicle. It is therefore best to avoid roug h tracks and
u neven terrain as much as possible. A lso refer to=>
page 194.
& WARNING
Always adjust your driving to road and traffic conditions. Do not
let the extra safety afforded by All Wheel Drive tempt you into
taking extra risks .
• Although the All Wheel Drive is very effective , always
remember that braking capacity is limited by tire traction. You
should therefore not drive at e xcessive speeds on icy or slippery
road surfaces.
• On wet road su rfaces , be careful not to dr ive too fast because
the front wheels could begin to slide on top of the water (aqua ­
planing ).
If this should occur , you will have no warning from a
sudden increase in engine speed as with a front -wheel drive
vehicle . Always d rive at speeds which are suited to the road condi­
tions. -risk of cra sh. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ l'III
•
& W ARNING (continu ed )
crashes and serious personal in jur ies . Have worn or da maged t ires
replaced immediately .
• Tires age even if they are not being u sed and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds. T ires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then w ith special care and at
low speed.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the co mbined we ig ht ( in excess o f those sta nda rd items
which may be rep laced) of automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power w indows, powe r seats, rad io, a nd heater, to
the extent that these items are avai lab le as factory-installed equip­
m ent (w hether insta lled or not).
Aspect ratio means t he ratio o f th e height to t he w idt h of the tire in perce nt.
N umbers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewa ll for improved
steer ing respo nse and b ette r overall ha ndl ing on dry pave ment.
Bead
means the part of the tire that is made of stee l wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a breakdow n of the bond be tween co mponents i n the bead.
Cord
m eans the strands fo rmi ng the plies in the ti re.
& W ARNING (continued )
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history. " Old used t ire s may ha ve been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and lo ss of vehicle control.
• If you noti ce unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving , always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage . •
Cold tire inflation pressure
mea ns t he ti re pressure reco mm ended by the ve hicle ma nufacturer
for a tire of a designated size that has not been d riven for more tha n
a cou ple o f miles (k ilometers) at low speeds in t he t hre e ho ur per iod
before the tire pressure is measured or ad justed .
Curb weight
means the weight of a moto r vehic le with standard equipment
i nc lud ing the max imu m capac ity o f fue l, o il, and coola nt, a ir c ond i­
tioning and additiona l weight of optional equipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire designed to ope rate at higher loads and at higher infla­
tion pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Extra load tires
my be identified as "XL", "xi", "EX TRA LOAD", or "RF" on the side ­
wa ll.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR ")
means the load -carrying capacity of a sing le ax le system, measured
at the ti re -ground interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR "l
mea ns the ma ximum tot al l oade d weigh t of the vehicle.
Vehicle care
I t •

___ T_ i_ r_e _s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_ e_ e _ ls _________________________________________________ _
Check the tire sidewall (=> page 249,
fig. 164) to determine the designated
load rating for a specific ti re. •
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.
Tread Wear Indicator (TWll
"' M
J
Fig. 162 Tir e tread:
tre ad we ar indi cator s
(TWll
Fig . 163 Rotating tires
for more even wear
The original tires on your veh icle have 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) high "wear
indicators" => fig . 162 running across the tread. Depending on the make, there will be six to eight of them evenly p
laced around the
t ire. Marks on the tire sidewall (for example "TWI" or other symbols)
indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators. Worn tires must
be rep laced. Different figures may apply in other countries =>& .
Tire p ressure
Incorrect tire pressure causes premature wear and can cause
sudden tire blow-out . Forth is reason, tire pressure must be checked
at least once a month
==> page 244.
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 interva ls may differ from the vehicle service inter­
vals outlined in your Maintenance and Warranty 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 a ll-wheel drive (quattro®l .
• Please rotate tires as shown ;;:;:, fig. 163.
• Extra care must be taken when rotating direction -specific tires
==> page 272.
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 usual ly feel through the
steering wheel. ...