rims AUDI TT ROADSTER 2008 Owners Manual

___ C_ le_ a _ n_i_n ~g _ a_ n_ d __ p_r _o _t _e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
Never dry windows with the same chamois that you use to dry
painted s urfaces. Wax residue on the chamois can impair vision
through the windows .
& WARNING
• The windshield must not be treated with water-rep ellent mate­
r ial s. They can increa se glare under poor visibility conditions such
a s w etne ss, darkne ss, or when th e sun i s lo w on th e hori zon. In
addition , they can c ause the wind shield wipers to chatter .
• Alw ays re ad and heed all WARNINGS and oth er infor matio n
=>
pa ge 200.
0 Note
• Never use warm or hot wa ter to remove snow and ice from
windows and mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack.
• To prevent damage to t he w ires of the rear defogger, do not p lace
any adhesive stickers on the inside of the rear window over the
wires.
• To he lp prevent dirt from scratching the w indow, always scrape
in a forward direction - pushing the scraper away from you -never
back and forth .•
Weatherstrips
C omplete car care includes the weatherstrips as well.
- App ly a suitable rubber co nditioner to the weat herstr ips
f rom t ime to t ime .
To be able sea l properly, the weatherstrips around the hood, doors,
rear lid, etc. must remain pliable . Spray the weath erstrips with si li­
cone or coat them w ith ta lcum powder or glycerine to retain the
flexibili ty of the rubber and to protect them against free zing in the
winter .
& WARNING
Always read and he ed all WARNINGS and the inf orm ation
=>
page 2 00 .
[ i ] Tips
Keep si licone sp rays o ff the windsh ield to avo id wiper smear in
rain .•
A pplies to vehi cles : w it h s tee l w hee ls
Steel wheels
The wheels also have to be cleaned.
Always include the hub caps and wheel rims when
washing your vehicle to remove road dirt, sal t sprays and
brake dust.
If necessary, use a commercial wheel cleaner to remove accumu ­
l ated brake dust.
The wheel rims are eas ier to keep clean i f they are regularly coated
wi th liquid wax .
Paint scratches should be touc hed u p as soon as possible to prevent
corrosion=>
page 205, " T ouch -up paint".
& WARNING
• Moisture and ice on brakes m ay affe ct br aking efficie ncy -
=>
page 188 , "Gene ral information ". Te st the brake s carefull y after
e ac h vehi cle wa sh .
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=>
pa ge 200. •

Cleaning and prote ction BIii
------------------------------------=-----=-------
•
Ap plies to vehi cles : w it h C ast a llo y wh eels
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
-Wash the wheels w ith a sponge or hose brush eve ry
ot her week .
- For de ep cleaning afterwar ds, use only a dedicated
acid ­
free cast alloy wheel cleaner .
- Ru b a c oat of
liquid wax on to t he rims every t hree mon th.
B e sure t o reach and treat all parts of the rim .
To preserve the decora tive appearance of the cas t alloy whee ls,
some special care is necessary . In addition to road dirt and sa lt ,
b rake dust is also co rro sive . If left o n fo r to o long, brake dust can
cause pitting .
Use only special
ac id -free cleaners formulated for alloy rims . Safe
products are available at your Audi dea ler . Never leave the cleaner
on the r ims longer than specified on the label. If not rins ed off
promp tly, the acid contained in some cleaners can a ttack the
threads on the wheel bolts .
Never use abrasive or me tal po lishing cleaning agents . If the protec ­
tive coat ing has been chipped, e .g . by kicked up road dirt. touch it
up as soon as possib le .
& WARNING
• Moi sture and ice on brakes may affect braking efficiency
=> page 188 , "General information ". Te st the b rake s c arefully ea ch
time you wash the vehicle.
• Alway s read a nd heed all WARNINGS and other informat ion
=> page 200 . •
Body cavity sealing
T he body c avity sealing d oes not need t o be checke d.
A ll body cavities which could be aff ected by corrosion hav e been
given thor ough protecti on a t the facto ry.
This sealing does not require any inspection or add itional treat ­
ment . If any wax shou ld seep out of the cavity when the ambient
tempera ture is high , it can be removed wi th a p las tic sc raper and a
suitable solvent.
& WARNING
Solvent s can be dangerous.
• Benz ine is flammable and to xic . If you use benz ine for removing
the wax , keep sparks , flame and lighted cigarettes away . Never
dump benz ine on the ground , into open streams or down sewage
drains .
• Be sure to observe all safety and environmental regulat ions .
Follow all instru ctions on the container.
• Always read and heed all WARNINGS and the information
=> page 200 . •
Chassis
Have the undercoa ting checked for damag e from time to
time .
The lowe r body shell of your Audi is a lso thoroughly protected
against corros ion.
Any damage to the undercoating caused by road ha za rds sh ould be
repaired promp tly .
& WARNING
Too much unde rcoat ing in the wrong pla ces can cause a fire .
Vehicle care
I t •

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts
of a motor vehicle.
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused parts of a
motor vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts
of a vehicle, particu larly considering the comparatively small patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all -important contact
between you, your vehic le and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regularly inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, s lashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure including tread separation and
blowouts.
A vo iding d am age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possible at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemica ls including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
fluid off the tires.
Inspect the ti res regu larly for damage (cuts, cracks or b listers, etc.l .
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tir es
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota ­
t ion. This ensures you to be able to mount them correctly when you
reinstal l them. When removed, the wheels or tires shou
ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place.
S tore tires in a vertical pos it ion if they a re not mounted on r ims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tir es
New tires have to be broken in=>&.
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern.
H idd en damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one s ide, this may indicate
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qualified workshop .
Unidire cti ona l t ires
A unidirectional tire can be identif ied by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate . You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . This is necessary s o that these
tires can develop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=>
page 272.
& WARNING
New t ires o r ti re s th at a re old , worn or d am aged cann ot pro vid e
maximum cont rol and braking ability .
• New tires te nd to be slippery and mu st be bro ken in . To redu ce
the ri sk o f lo sin g co ntro l, a collis ion and serious per sonal injurie s,
dri ve w ith special care f or the fi rst 350 m ile s ( 560 km l.
• Driving w ith w orn or damaged tire s can lead to lo ss of control ,
sudd en tir e fa ilure , inc ludi ng a blowout a nd sudden defl atio n, ..,_

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_d _ w_ h_ e_e _l_s _________________________________________________ _
vehicle with different rims/tires or you bought the vehicle as a previ­
ously owned vehicle.
Remember, your safety and that of your passengers also depends
on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load
includes everybody and everything in and on the vehicle. These load
limits are technically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ("GVWR"). The Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each of the vehicle's two
axles. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating are listed on the safety compliance sticker label located on
the driver's side 8-pillar. The tire pressure label on your Audi lists
the maximum combined weight of all of the occupants and luggage or other cargo that the vehicle can carry. For the location of the tire
pressure label =>
page 242, fig. 160.
& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or
other accident, serious personal injury, and even death.
• Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry
will prevent the vehicle from handling properly and increase the risk of a loss of vehicle control.
• The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be
able to stop the vehicle within a safe distance.
• Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly
causing loss of control and a crash.
& WARNING
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can lead to a
serious or fatal accident.
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased
tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle.
& WARNING (continued)
• Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation,
causing loss of vehicle control . •
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires originally installed
on your vehicle is listed on the tire pressure label located
on driver's side 8-pillar.
The recommended tire pressures are on the tire pressure label and
in the table=>
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 miles (kilometers) at low
speeds during the previous three hours. Air in the tires expands
when the tire heats up as a result of internal friction as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire has warmed up than
when it is "cold."
It is the inflation pressure in a "cold" tire that counts. Therefore, you
should never let air out of a warm tire to match "Cold tire inflation
pressure" recommendations=>
page 242. The tires would then be
underinflated and could fail suddenly.
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures for the new, original equipment tires that were
on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured . For the location of
the label
=> page 242, fig . 160.
Most tires lose air naturally over time. They can also lose some air if
you drive over a pothole or hit a curb while parking . It is usually not
possible to see whether the radial tires used today are underinflated
just by looking at them .
Therefore, be sure to check tire pressures at least once a month and
always before going on a long trip. Make sure to take the number of
people and the amount of luggage into account when adjusting tire .,_

.,,.___T_ ir_e_ s _ a_ n_d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s _________________________________________________ _
0
©
G)
U.S. DOT tire identification number
Sever snow conditions
Tire ply composition and materials used
Maximum load rating
Treadwear, traction and temperature grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pressure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the vehicle's design. The
tires and rims approved by Audi are specially matched to the char­ acteristics of the vehicle and can make a major contribution to good
road holding and safe handling when in good condition and prop ­
erly inflated =>& .
We recommend that al l work on tires and wheels be performed by
an authorized Audi dealer . They are familiar with recommended
procedures and have the necessary special tools and spare parts as
we ll as the proper facilities for disposing of the old tires .
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary information about tech ­
nical requirements for insta lling or changing tires and rims .
Rep lac ing t ires a nd w heels
Tires should be replaced 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 moni ­
toring system =>
page 251.
Always buy replacement radial tires t hat have the same specifica ­
tions as the tires approved for your vehicle by Audi . Replacement
tires must always have the same load rating specification as the
original equipment or approved optional tires listed in the table
=>
page 242.
Audi -approved specification tires are specially matched to your
vehic le and its load limits, and can contribute to the important road- holding, driving characteristics, and safety of the vehicle
. The tab le
( =>
page 242) lists specifications of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure labe l located on driver's side 8 -pillar (=>
page 242,
fig. 161) lists the spec ifications of the original equipment tires
installed on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized in for­
mation on the sidewall of all tires=>
page 249, fig. 164 . T his informa­
tion identifies and describes the fundamenta l characteristics, the
quality grade of the tire and also provides a tire identification
number for safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
T ire s pec ifica tio ns
Know ledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the
correct tires . Radial tires have the tire specifications marked on the
sidewal l, for example:
P 2 45 / 45 R 17 95 H
This contains the following information :
P Indicates the tire is for passenger cars
24 5 Nominal tire width in mm of the tire from sidewall edge to side-
wa ll edge . In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire
45 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Radial
17 Rim diameter code (in inches)
95 Load rating code
H Speed rating letter code
X L (or "xi", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF") indicates that the tire is a"Rein ­
forced" or an "Extra Load" ti re
M+ S (or "M/S") Indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capa ­
bility
The tires could also have the information of direction of rotation =>
page 238.

Tires a nd wh eels -
----------------
•
Tire manu fact uring da te
The manufacturing date is a lso indicated on the tire sidewall
(possibly only on the
inner side of the wheell:
"DOT ... 2207 ... " means, for example, that the tire was produced in
the 22th week of 2007.
S peed ratin g (let te r cod e)
The speed rating letter code on the wheels indicates the maximum
permissible road speeds=>
& in "Winter tires" on page 254.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R upto 106mph(170km/h)
S upto110mph(180km/h)
T upto118mph(190km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H upto 130mph(210km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)2>
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)2>
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)2>
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)21
Your vehicle is normally factory equipped with tires, which possess
excel lent driving characteris tics and give your Audi optimum
driving comfort. An e lectronic speed limiter=> page 26wil l normally
prevent your vehicle from going faster than the tire speed rating
=> & .
U.S . D OT T ire Ident ifi cation Nu mber (TIN ) and tire
m anu fac ture date
This is the tire's "seria l 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 manufactured,
and the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufac-
21 For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph (240 km/h), tire
manufacturers sometimes use the letters "ZR."
ture. For example, the numbers 2207 mean that the tire was
produced in the 22th week of 2007. The other numbers are
marketing codes that may or may not be used by the tire manufac­
turer. This information is used to contact consumers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Tir e ply c omp osition and m aterial s used
The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire . In general, the greater the number of p lies, the
more weight a tire can support. Tire manufacturers also must indi ­
cate the materials in the tire, which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others .
Maximum L oad Rating
This number indicates the maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Tir e qu alit y g ra din g for tr eadwear, trac tion, a nd
te mper atu re resi stan ce
Tread wear, traction and temperature grades=> page 253.
Max imum P ermi ssibl e Inf latio n Pre ssure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever
be put in the tire under normal driv ing conditions .
Repla cing tires or rims on vehicl es equipp ed with tir e
pres sure monit orin g s yst em
The wheels on your vehicle are equipped with a sensor which
constant ly monitors the air pressure ins ide the t ire, and then trans ­
mits this information to the tire pressure monitoring system. If you
are going to replace the wheel rims on your vehic le, make sure the
new rims also have these sensors . The sensors must be compatible
with the tire pressu re monitoring system on your vehicle.
I f the sensors are to be installed on different rims, the sea l, washer,
and valve cap for each sensor must be replaced.
If you instal l rims, which do not have the sensors, or have sensors
which are not compatible, then the tire pressure monitoring system ..,_
Vehicle care I t •

-Tires and wheels
P'tr:1-------------------
will not work prope rly . In this case, the tire pressure monitoring
s ys tem would n ot b e ab le to mon itor the tire p ressure or wa rn yo u
if it is necessary .
• The battery inside of the tire pressure sensor has a limited
se rvice life .
• Always d rive with the valve stem caps sec urely mounted . We
recommend using factory insta lled valve stem caps . Ask your au tho ­
rized Audi dealer to replace lost va lve stem cap s.
The installation o f rep laceme nt tire s wi th steel cor d body p lies in
the tire sidewal l may cause malfunction of the tire pressure moni ­
t or ing sys tem, a nd is no t re com mended (cord mater ial i nformat ion
in molded on the tire sidewa ll) .
A lw ays check your tire p ressure monito rin g s ystem i ndicator afte r
replacing o ne or mor e tir es o n you r vehi cle. If th e tire p ressu re
monito ring syste m indicat or flashes, o r is on, you r sy stem is not
wo rk in g pr oper ly. Your rep lac em ent ti re mig ht be i nco mpat ibl e wi th
your tir e pressure monitoring syst em , or som e component o f th e
tir e pr ess ure monito ring syste m may be da mag ed.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/ or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control, collision
and serious personal injury .
• Always use tires , rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory -installed tires or other combinations that
have been spe cifically approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly ,
especially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds .
• Never mount used tires on your vehi cle if you are not sure of
their "previous history. " Old used tires may have been damaged
even though the damage cannot be seen that can lead to sudden
tire failure and loss of vehi cle control.
& WARNING (continued)
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same type,
size (rolling circumference ) and the same tread pattern. Driving
with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead to a loss
of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle -for e xample with winter tires -only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
normal road wheel as soon as safely possible.
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faste r than
their rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Overloading tires cause heat build-up , sudden tire failure ,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control .
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated and
not over or underinflated .
• For te chnical reasons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles -in some cases not even wheels from the
same vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the vehicle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked. Redu ced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopping distances
and causing a collision.
• Run flat tires may only be used on vehicles that were equipped
with them at the fa ctory . The vehicle must have a chassis designed
for run flat tires and a factory -installed tire pressure monitoring
system that indi cate s a loss of tire pressure . Incorre ct use of run
flat tires can lead to vehicle damage or accidents . Check with an
authorized Audi dealer o r tire specialist to see if your vehicle can
be equipped with run flat tires .
If run flat tires are used, they must
be installed on all four wheels . Mixing tire types is not permitted. .,

Tires a nd wh eels -
----------------
•
0 Note
• For technical reasons, it is not genera lly possible to use the
whee l rims from other vehic les. This can hold true for wheels of the
same vehic le type.
• If the spare tire is different from the tires that you have mounted
on your vehicle (for example winter tires or wide p rofile t ires), then
use the spare tire for a short period of time only and drive with extra
care. Rep lace the flat tire with the tire matching the others on your
vehicle as soon as possible.
• If you should put different wheels and tires on your vehic le (e.g.
winter wheels and tires), you must be certain that the wheels and
tires are compat ib le w ith the tire pressure monitoring system.
Otherwise the system will register a malfunction and a fault
message will be displayed . For more informatio n, contact your Aud i
dea ler.
0 Note
• When insta lling new tires, be carefu l not to damage the va lves or
t ire p ressure moni toring syste m sensors .
• Never drive without the va lve stem cap. The va lves could get
damaged.
• I f the sensors must be replaced, then the valve must also be
replaced at t he same t ime.
Dispose of o ld tires in accordance with the local requ irements .•
Uniform tire quality grading
• Tread wear
• Traction AA A B C
• Temperature A B C Qua
lity grades can be found where applicable on the tire side wall
b etween tread shoulder a nd maximum section width =>
page 249,
fig. 164.
For example : Tread wear 200, Traction AA , Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federa l Safety Require ­
ments in addit ion to these grades.
T read wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate
o f t he tire when tes ted under contro lled condit ions on a specified
government test course.
F o r example, a tire g raded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1 /2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual condi ­
tions o f the ir use, however, and may depart sign ificantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices and differ ­
ences in road characterist ics and c limate .
Traction
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 contro lled cond itions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor t raction performance =>& .
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, represent ing
the tire 's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissi ­
pat e heat when tested u nder con tro lled co nditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of t he ti re to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure=:>& .
The grade C corresp onds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federa l Motor Vehicle
Vehicle care I t •

_L_T~ir ~e :..:s~ a~n~ d~ w~ h ~e~e~ l~ s '.,_ ______________________________________________ _
Wheel bolts
W heel b olts mus t al wa ys be tigh te n ed to t he cor rect
to rqu e.
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the factory instal led rims . If
d ifferen t rims are fitted, the co rrect w heel bo lts wit h th e rig ht length
and correctly shaped bolt heads m ust be used. This ensures that
w hee ls are fitt ed s ecure ly a nd th at t he brake sys te m funct ions
correctly .
I n certain circums tances, yo u may no t use w heel b olts fr om a
differ ent vehicle -even if it is the same model::::;,
page 296.
&_ 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 being 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 th reads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
0 Note
The specified torque for the wheel bolts is 90 ft lb (120 Nm) with a
t ole ranc e of ± 7,4 ft lb(± 1 0 Nm). To rque whee l bolts diag onally.
After changing a wheel, the torque must be checked as soon as possible with a to
rque wrench -preferab ly by an authorized Audi
dea ler o r qu alif ied wo rksh op.•
Low aspect ratio tires
Yo ur Audi is fac tory-equip ped wi th l ow asp ect rati o tires. Th ese tires
have been thorough ly tested and been selected specifically for your
mod el for thei r su per b p erfo rma nce, road feel an d handl in g u nder
a variety of driving conditions . Ask your author ized Aud i dea ler for
mo re deta ils.
T he low aspec t ra tio o f th ese t ires is ind icate d by a numera l o f 55 or
less in the t ire's size designation. The numera l represents the ratio
of the ti re's s idewa ll height in re la ti on to its tread w idth e xpress ed
in percentage. Conventiona l tires have a height/width ratio of 60 or
mo re .
The performan ce of low -aspect -ratio t ires is part icularly sensitive to
improper inflation pressure . It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure and that the
inflation pressure is regularly checked and maintained. Tire pres­
sures should be checked at least once a month and alway s before a
long trip::::;,
page 244, "Checking tire p ressure".
What you can do to a void tire and rim damage
L ow a spect ratio tires can be damaged more easi ly by impact with
potho les, curbs, gull ies or ridges on the road, particularly if the t ire
is underinflated.
In orde r to minimi ze the occurrence o f im pact da mage to th e tire s
of your vehicle, we recommend that you observe the fo llowing
p reca utions:
• Always ma intain reco mm ende d inflat io n pressu res . C heck your
tire p ressure every 2, 000 miles (3 ,000 km) and add ai r if neces sary .
• D rive car eful ly on roads with potholes, deep gullies or ridges.
Th e impact from d riving th ro ugh o r ove r such o bstac les can
dama ge you r tires . Impact w ith a curb may also cause da mage to
your tires . .,_

________________________________________________ T_ i _r_e _s_ a_n_ d_ w_ h_ e_e _ l_s __ !II
•
• After any impact, immediately inspect your tires or have them
inspected by the nearest authorized Audi dealer. Replace a
damaged tire as soon as possible .
• Inspect your 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 underinflation, which could eventua lly cause tire fai lure . If
you believe that a tire may have been damaged, replace the tire as
soon as possible .
• These tires may wear more quickly than others.
• Please a lso remember that, whi le these tires deliver responsive
handling, they may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
R edu ced p erform an ce in w in te r/ c o ld sea son
co nditi ons
All tires are designed for certain purposes. The low aspect ratio,
ultra high performance tires originally installed on your vehicle are
intended for maximum dry and wet road performance and hand ling.
They are not suitable for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions . If
you drive under those circumstances, you should equip your vehicle
with al l- season or winter tires, which offer better traction under
those conditions . We suggest you use the recommended snow or
a ll- season tires specified for your vehicle, or their equivalent .
Refer to=>
page 254 for more detai led in formation regarding winter
tires. •
Run-flat tires
Applies to vehi cles : w ith R un-f lat tires
Introduction
Run-flat tires help keep you moving if a tire goes flat.
Reinforced s idewalls give the ti res run -flat capability if tire pressure
is lost . We recommend that run-flat tires only be mounted on vehicles that
we
re origina lly equipped with these special tires at the fac tory and
have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System .
Run-flat t ires can be ident ified by the letter s "RSC" on the tire side ­
wall.
If you do change the tires on your vehic le from normal to run -flat
tires, you must buy the special rims required for run-flat tires, and
the Tire Pressure Monitoring System must be reprogrammed by an
authorized Audi dea ler or other qualified workshop.
Wh at do run-fl at tir es do?
These special t ires have run-flat capabi lities that he lp keep you
moving if a tire loses pressure and goes flat. Under favorable condi ­
t ions tires can be driven
at least 30 miles (50 km ), but you must not
drive
f as ter t han 50 mph (80 km/h i=> page 258 , "Driving with run ­
flat t ires".
The Tire Pressure Moni toring System constantly checks the air pres­
sure in the tires. If the run -flat system is active (shown in the center
display), you must inspect the affected tire or tires and then decide
whether to continue driving . Be sure to follow these tips
=>
page 258, "Driving with run-flat tires" .
When it is not po ssibl e to continue driving , even with
run -fl at tire s?
• If the Electronic Stabilization Program (ES P) is not working or
keeps coming on.
• If the Tire Pressure Monitoring System does not work.
• If the tire has been severely damaged, in a crash , for example .
The tread can separate from a damaged tire as the wheel turns, and
hit parts of the vehicle , such as the fue l tank filler neck, fuel lines or
brake lines.
• Do not continue driving if severe vibration occurs or if the tire
starts to smoke because the tire is running hot.
• Do not continue driving if damage to the tire, such as cracks in
the s idewall, appears .
~
Vehicle care I t •