rims AUDI TT ROADSTER 2011 Owners Manual

Never dry windows with the same chamois
that you use to dry painted surfaces . Wax resi­
due on the chamois can impair vision through
the windows.
_& WARNING
- The windshield must not be treated with
water-repellent materials. They can in­
crease glare under poor visibility condi­
tions such as wetness, darkness, or when
the sun is low on the horizon. In addi­
tion, they can cause the windshield wip­
ers to chatter.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information <=;>
page 162.
([) Note
-Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors.
This could cause the glass to crack.
- To prevent damage to the wires of the
rear defogger, do not place any adhesive
stickers on the inside of the rear window
over the wires.
- To help prevent dirt from scratching the
window, always scrape in a forward di­
rection -pushing the scraper away from
you -never back and forth.
Weatherstrips
Complete car care includes the weatherstrips
as well.
.,. Apply a suitable rubber conditioner to the
weatherstrips from time to time.
To be able seal properly, the weatherstrips
around the hood, doors, rear lid, etc. must re­ main pliable . Spray the weatherstrips with sil­
icone or coat them with talcum powder or
glycerine to retain the flexibility of the rubber
and to protect them against freezing in the
winter .
_& WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
¢page 162.
Cleaning and protection 167
(D Tips
Keep silicone sprays off the windshield to
avoid wiper smear in rain.
Steel wheels
App lies to vehicles : wit h stee l w hee ls
The wheels also have to be cleaned.
.,. Always include the hub caps and wheel rims
when washing your vehicle to remove road
dirt, salt sprays and brake dust.
If necessary, use a commercial wheel cleaner
to remove accumulated brake dust.
The wheel rims are easier to keep clean if they
are regularly coated with liquid wax.
Paint scratches should be touched up as soon
as possible to prevent corrosion
¢ page 166,
Touch-up paint .
_& WARNING
-Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency-
¢page 151, General
information. Test the brakes carefully af­
ter each vehicle wash.
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information¢
page 162.
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Applies to vehicles : wi th Cas t alloy w hee ls
-
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care .
.,. Wash the wheels with a sponge or hose
brush every other week .
.,. For deep cleaning afterwards, use only a
dedicated
acid-free cast alloy wheel cleaner .
.,. Rub a coat of
liquid wax onto the rims every
three month. Be sure to reach and treat all
parts of the rim.
To preserve the decorative appearance of the
cast alloy wheels, some special care is neces­
sary. In addition to road dirt and salt, brake
dust is also corrosive. If left on for too long,
brake dust can cause pitting. .,..
•
•

168 Cleaning and protection
Use only special acid -free cleaners form ulated
for a lloy rims. Safe products are available at
your Aud i dealer. Never leave the cleaner on
the r ims longer than spec ified on the label. If
not rinsed
off promp tly, the acid conta ined in
some cleaners can attack the threads on the
wheel bolts .
Never use abras ive or metal polishing clean ­
ing agents. If the protective coating has been
chipped, e .g . by k icked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as poss ible.
A WARNING
- Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency ¢
page 151, General
information.
Test the brakes c aref ully
each t ime you wash the veh icle.
- Always read and heed all WARNI NGS and
other informa tion ¢
page 162.
Body cavity sealing
-
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked.
A ll body cavities wh ich could be affected by
corrosion have been give n thorough protec­
tion at the facto ry.
T his sea ling does not require any inspection or
addit io nal treatment. If any wax should seep
out of the cav ity when the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed w it h a plastic
scrape r and a su itab le so lven t.
A WARNING
So lvents can be dange rous.
- B enzine is flammable and t oxic.
If you
use benzine for removing the wax, keep
spar ks, flame and lighted c igaret tes
away. Never dump benzine on t he
ground, into open streams or down sew­
age drains.
- Be sure to observe all safety and env iron­
menta l regulations . Follow all instruc­
t ions on the container.
- Always read and heed all WAR NIN GS and
the in format ion
¢page 162.
Chassis
Have the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Aud i is also thor­
oughly protected against cor ros io n.
Any damage to the unde rcoating ca used by
road ha zards should be repaired prompt ly.
A WARNING ....__
Too much undercoating in the wrong p la­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not app ly additional undercoating or
r u stp roof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
ver ter or heat shields. While driving, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overhea t and cause a fire.
- Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
o ther info rmation
¢ page 162.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and o ther co rrosive materials w ill
damage the mate ria l in the e xhaus t tail pipes
i f they are not cleaned regular ly . Do not clean
the tail pipes with w hee l cleaner, pa int polish,
c h rome polish or other ab rasive cleane rs .
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
t h at are suitable for sta inless steel.
Your a uthorized Audi dea ler can prov ide clean ­
ing products that have been tested and ap­
proved for your vehicle .
Care of interior
Radio-/Navigation* display
.. Clea n the dis play wi th a soft clean clo th and
a n LC D cleaner.
T he disp lay can be cleaned with a profess io­
nally ava ilab le " LCD clea ner". The clot h should
be s ligh tly d ampened wit h the cleaning flui d
to clean the disp lay. .,..

194 Tire s and wheel 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, particularly considering the compara ­
tive ly small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that a ll-important contact between
you, you r vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, mak ing
sure that your veh icle and its t ires do not have
to carry mo re weight than they can safe ly han­
d le, avoiding damage from roa d haza rds and
r eg ularly inspecting t ires for damage includ­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and ove rall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid s udden tire failure in­
cluding tread separat ion and blowouts.
Avoiding damage
If you have to drive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very s low ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chem ica ls incl ud ing gre ase, o il,
gasoline and b rake fluid off the t ires .
Inspect the t ir e s regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark ti res when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . T his ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
install t hem.
When removed, the whee ls or t ires should be
stored in a cool, d ry and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vertical pos ition if they are not
mounted on rims, in a horizontal pos it ion if
they are mounted on rims.
New tires
New t ires have to be broken in¢&,. .
T he tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord­
ing to the type a nd make of t ire and the tread
pa tte rn .
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and r ims is ofte n not readily
vis ible . If you notice unusual v ibrat ion or the
vehicle p ulls to one side, th is may ind icate
t h at one of the t ires has been damaged . Th e
t ir es m ust be checked immed iate ly by an au ­
tho rized Aud i dea le r or q uali fied wor ks hop.
Unidirectional t ires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sid ewa ll, that po int in the direc­
t ion the t ire is desig ned to rotate. You must
f ol low the specified d irec tion of rot ation . This
is necessa ry so tha t these tires can develop
their optimum characterist ics regarding grip,
road no ise, wear and hyd rop laning resistance.
For more information ¢
page 226.
A WARNING
-New tires or t ires that are o ld, worn or
damaged cannot provide maximum con­
trol and braking ability .
-
-New tires tend to be slippery and must
be broken in . To reduce the risk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in jur ies, d rive w ith special ca re fo r the
fi rst 3 50 m iles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
le ad to loss of control, sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowou t and sudden de­
fla tion, crashes and seriou s personal in­
juries . Have wo rn or damaged t ires re­
p laced immediate ly .
- Ti res age even if they are not being used
an d can fai l sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith specia l care and at low
speed.

Tires and wheels 199
Note that the following tab le is accurate at
the time of going to press and is subject to
change. In the event of discrepanc ies, the tire
pressure label (on dr iver's side B-pillar) always
takes precedence .
The table be low lists the recommended cold
tire inf lation pressures for the Audi model covered
by your Owner 's Literature at the vehi­
cle's capacity weight and the tire sizes instal­
l ed on the respective models as orig inal
equipment, or as a factory option.
Engine II Tire designation Tire pressure front Tire pressure rear l
(dis-
full load full load
place- normal load
condition normal load
condition
ment in condition
(2 occupants condition
(2 occu-
liter) (up
to 2 oc-
plus lug- (up
to 2 oc-
pants plus
cupants) gage) cupants)
luggage)
PSI
ll kPA PSI kPA
PSI JI kPA PSI Jl kPA
-
4-cylin-
der
2.0 225/50
Rl 7 94H All Sea-
son
225/50 R17 94W XL High
Performance
245/45 Rl 7 95H All Sea-
son
245/45 R17 95YXL High
Performance
245/40 R18 93H All Sea­
son
245/40 R18 93V XL High
Performance
255/35 Rl9 96V XL High
Performance
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220
32 220 32
220 29 200 29 200
32 220 29 200 29 200
32 220 29 200 29 200
•
32 220 29 200 29 200
I
32 220 29 200 29 200
•
33 II 230 29
200 30 210 I
32 220 29 200 29 200
XL= reinforced or extra load tire. It may also appear as xl, EXTRA LOAD, or RF on the tire side­
wall.
The correct tire pressure for the spore wheel is
l ocated on a label on the drive r's side B-pillar.
Because technical changes may be made to
ve hicl e equ ipment dur ing the model year, a l­
ways compa re the tire size designation on the
tire pressure label on your vehi cle w ith t he
tires on your vehicle . Make sur e that the tire
size information on the vehicle label is the
same as the size of the tires on the vehicle.
This is especially important if the vehicle be­
longs to someone else or you bought the veh i­
cle with different rims/tires or you bought the
vehicle as a previously owned vehicle. Remember, you
r safety and that of your pas­
sengers also depends on making sure that
load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
vehicle. These load limits are technically refer­
red to as the veh icle's Gross Vehicle Weight
Rat ing ("GVWR"). The Gross Axle We ight Rat­
ing ("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 comp liance sticker label lo cated on the
driver's side B-pillar. The tire pressure label on
your A udi lists the maximum combined
weight of all of the occ upants and luggage or
Ill>
•
•

New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in.
Fig. 150 Tire specification codes on the sidewall of a
t ire
No. Description
(D Passenger car tire (where applicable)
@ Nominal width of tire in millimeters
@ Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
@ Radial
@ Rim diameter code
@ Load index and speed rating
(J) U.S. DOT tire identification number
@ Audi Original tire
@ Sever snow conditions
@ Tire ply composition and materials used
@ Maximum load rating
@ Treadwear, traction and temperature
grades
@ Maximum permissible inflation pres­
sure
The tires and rims are essential parts of the
veh icle's design . The tires and r ims approved
by Audi are specially matched to the charac­
teristics of the vehicle and can make a major
contribution to good road holding and safe
Tires and wheels 205
handling when in good condition and properly
inflated
¢ .&..
We recommend that all 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 well as the proper fa ­
cilities for disposing of the old tires.
Authorized Audi dealers have the necessary
information about technical requirements for
installing or changing tires and rims .
Replacing tires and wheels
Tires should be replaced at least in pairs and
not ind ividually (for example both front tires
or both rear tires together).
Be sure to read and heed the information to
the tire pressure monitoring system
¢page 212 .
Always buy replacement radial tires that have
the same spec ificat ions as the tires approved
for your vehicle by Audi. Replacement tires
must always have the same load rating speci­
fication as the original equipment or approved
optional tires listed in the table¢
page 198.
Audi-approved specification tires are specially
matched to your vehicle and its load limits,
and can contribute to the important roadhold­
ing, driving characteristics, and safety of the
vehicle. The table( <=>
page 198) lists specifica­
tions of the tires approved for the Audi mod­
els covered by your Owner's Literature.
The tire pressure label located on driver's side
B-pillar ( <=>
page 198, fig. 147) lists the speci­
fications of the original equipment tires in­
stalled on your vehicle at the time it was man­
ufactured .
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to
place standardized information on the side­
wall of all tires<=>
fig. 150 . This information
identifies and describes the fundamental
characteristics, the quality grade of the tire
and also provides a tire identification number
for safety standard certification and in case of
a recall. .,.

general, the greater the number of plies, the more weight a tire can support . Tire manufac­
turers also must indicate the materials in the
tire, wh ich include steel, nylon, polyester, and
others .
Ma ximum Load R ating
This number indicates the maximum load in
kilograms and pounds that can be carried by
the tire.
Tire qualit y gr ad ing for treadw ear,
tract ion , an d temp erature resis ta nce
Tread wear , traction and temperature grades
c::> pag e208.
M aximum Permis sibl e Inflation Pr essur e
This n umbe r is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire
under normal driving conditions .
& WARNING
- Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/
or whee ls or improper tire and whee l
combinations can lead to loss of contro l,
collision and serious personal injury.
- Always use tires, rims and wheel bo lts
that meet the specifications of orig inal
factory-installed tires or other combina­
t ions that have been spec ifically ap­
proved by the vehicle manufacturer .
- Tires age even if they are not be ing used
and can fail suddenly, especially at high
speeds . T ires that are more than 6 years
o ld can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used ti res on you r vehicle if
yo u are not s ure of their "previous histo­
ry ." Old used tires may have been dam ­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
- All four wheels must be fitted with radia l
t ires of the same type, size (roll ing cir­
cumference) and the same tread pattern .
Driv ing with different tires reduces veh i-
Tire s an d wheel s 207
cle handling and can lead to a loss of
contro l.
- If the spare tire is not the same as the
tires that are mounted on the vehicle -
for examp le w ith winter t ires -only use
the spare t i re for a short period of time
and drive with extra care . Refit the nor ­
mal road wheel as soon as safely poss i­
ble .
- Never drive faster than the max imum
speed for which the tires on your vehicle
are rated because tires that are dr iven
faster than their rated speed can fa il
suddenly.
- Ove rloading tires cause heat build-up,
sudden tire fa ilure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation and loss of contro l.
- Temperature grades apply to tires tha t
are properly infla ted and not over or un­
derinf lated .
- For technical reasons it is not always
possible to use whee ls from other vehi­
cles -in some cases not even wheels
from the same ve hicle mode l.
-If you install wheel trim discs on the ve ­
hicle wheels, make sure that the air flow
to the brakes is not b locked. Reduced air­
f low to the brakes can them to overheat,
increas ing stopping d istances and caus­
ing a co llision .
- Run flat tires may only be used on vehi­
cles that were equ ipped w ith them at the
factory. The veh icle must have a chassis
des igned for run flat ti res and a factory­
installed t ire p ressure monito ring sys­
tem that indicates a loss of ti re p ressu re.
I nco rrec t use of run fl at tires can lead to
veh icle damage o r accidents. Check with
an authorized Audi dealer or tire special­ ist 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 permit-
ted .
Ill>
•
•

208 Tires and wheels
-For technical reasons, it is not generally
possible to use the whee l rims from oth­
er vehicles. This can hold true for wheels
of the same vehicle type.
- If the spare tire is different from the
tires that you have mounted on your ve­ hicle (for example winter tires or wide
profile tires), then use the spare t ire for a
short period of time only and drive with
extra care. Replace the flat tire with the
tire match ing the others on your vehicle
as soon as possible.
- Never drive without the valve stem cap.
The valves could get damaged.
@ For the sake of the environment
Dispose of old tires in accordance with the
local requ irements.
Uniform tire quality grading
- T read wear
- Traction AA A B (
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire side wall between tread shoulder
and maximum sect ion width ¢
page 205,
fig . 150 .
For example: Tread wear 200, Traction AA,
Temperature A.
All passenger car tires must conform to Feder­
al Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course.
F or example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (11/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relat ive performance of tires depends
upon the actua l conditions of their use, how -ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, serv­
ice practices and differences in road character­
istics and climate.
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 conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance ¢
,&.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi­ pate heat when tested under controlled condi­
t ions on a specified indoor labo ratory test
wheel.
Sustained h igh temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure ¢ ,&.
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform­
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand ­
ard No. 109. Grades Band A represent h igher
levels of performance on the laboratory test
whee l than the minimum required by law.
A WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight -ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
characterist ics .
A WARNING i- -
The temperature grade for this tire is es-
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded . Excess ive speed, un­
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combinat ion, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.

210 Tir es and whe els
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels, and only to certain tire sizes. Ask your
authorized Audi dealer on which tire sizes
snow chains can be used.
If you are going to use snow chains , then you
must install them on the front wheels at
least.
The snow chains must have low-profile links
and must not be thicker than 0.53 inch
(13.S mm), including the lock .
Remove wheel center covers and tr im discs
before putting snow cha ins on your vehicle
¢ Q) . For safety reasons cover caps must the n
be fitted over the whee l bolts. These are avai l­
ab le from authorized Audi dea lers.
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chains for yo ur vehi ­
cle or installing them incorrectly can in­
crease the risk of loss of control leading to
ser ious personal inj ury.
- Snow chains are ava ilable in different
sizes. Always make sure to follow the in­
struct ions provided by the snow chain
manufacturer .
- When driving w ith snow chains never
dr ive faster than the speed permitted for
your specific snow cha ins.
- Always observe local regulat ions.
([) Note
-Remove snow chains before driving on
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wear ing the snow
chains down unnecessar ily.
- Snow chains, which come into direct con­
tact with the wheel rim, can scratch or
damage it. Therefore, make sure that the
snow chains are suitably covered. Check
the position of the snow chains after
driving a few yards and correct if neces­
sa ry. Follow the i nstructions from the
snow cha in manufacture r when doing so.
(D Tips
Where snow chains are mandatory on cer­
tain roads, th is normally a lso applies to ve­
hicles with All Whee l Dr ive.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must always be tightened to the
correct torque.
T he design of wheel bo lts is matched to the
factory installed rims. If different rims are fit­
ted, the correct whee l bolts with the right
l ength and correctly shaped bolt heads must
be used. Th is ensures that wheels are fitted
securely and that the brake system functions correctly.
In certa in circumstances, you may not use
whee l bolts from a different vehicle -even if it
is the same model
¢page 243.
A WARNING
-Imp roperly t ightened or ma inta ined wheel
bo lts can become loose causing loss of
control, a coll is ion and serious pe rsonal in­
jury.
- Always keep t he wheel bo lts and the
threads in the wheel hubs clean so the
wheel bo lts can turn easily and be prop­
erly tightened.
- Never grease or oil the wheel bolts and
the threads in the whee l hubs . They can
become loose while driving if g reased or
oiled, even if tightened to the specified
torque.
- Onl y use whee l bolts that belong to the
rim being installed.
- Never use different wheels bo lts on yo ur
vehicle .
- Always maintain the correct tightening
torque for the whee l bolts to reduce the
risk of a whee l loss. If the tightening tor­
que of the whee l bolts is too low, they
can loosen and come out when the vehi­
cle is mov ing. If the tightening torque is
too high, the wheel bolts a nd threads
II>-

Returning to the Start menu
"' Pre ss the I Reset ! button longer than 2 sec­
onds to return from any menu leve l to the
Start menu .
(D Tips
Before resetting the TPMS, the current
pressures of
all four tire s must correspond
to the specified values. Adjust the tire
pressure and reset the pressure in the tire
pressure monitoring system according to
the load you are carrying
c::;, page 198.
Run-flat tires
Introduction
Applies to vehicles: with Run-flat tires
Run-flat tires help keep you moving if a tire
goes flat.
Reinforced s idewalls give the tires run-flat ca­
pability if tire pressure is lost.
We recommend that run-flat tires only be
mounted on vehicles that were originally
equ ipped w ith these special tires at the facto­
ry and have a Tire Pressure Monitor ing Sys­
tem.
Run-flat t ires can be ident ifi ed by th e lett ers
"RSC" on the tire sidewall.
If you do change the tires on yo ur vehicle from
normal to run-flat tires, you must buy the
specia l rims required for run-flat tires, and the
Ti re Pressure Monito ring System must be re­
programmed by an a uthorized Audi dea ler or
other qualified workshop.
What do run-flat tires do?
These special tires have run-flat capabilities
that help keep you moving if a tire loses pres­
sure and goes flat. Under favorable cond itions
tires can be driven
at l ea st 30 mil es (SO km ),
but you must not d rive fa ste r than SO mph
(80 km /h)
c::;, page 216, Driving with run-flat
tires .
Tire s an d wheel s 215
When it is not po ssible to continue
driv ing , ev en with run-flat tire s?
- If the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP)
is not work ing 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 fuel tank
filler neck, fuel lines or brake lines.
- Do not continue driving if severe vibration
occurs or if the t ire starts to smoke because
the tire is ru nning hot.
- Do not continue driving if damage to the
tire, such as cracks in the sidewall, appears.
A WARNING
Improper use of run-flat tires can cause
vehicle damage that can lead to loss of ve­ h icl e cont ro l, a c rash and serious personal
in Jury.
- Run-flat tires can only be used with spe­
cial rims.
- Run-flat tires must always be monito red
with a prope rly p rogrammed Tire Pre­
ssure Monito ring System.
- Always inspect a tire that has lost air to
make sure it is sa fe to dr ive with the tire
in the run-flat mode.
- Never d rive with run-f lat t ires that have
been damaged in a co llision.
- Never d rive with run-flat t ires if heat
bu ild-up causes the tire to give off
smoke.
- Never d rive with run-f lat t ires if the vehi­
cle shakes or vibrates severely.
- Never d rive with a run-flat ti re that de­
velops s idewa ll cracks or other damage
while in use.
- I f you sw itch between standa rd and run­
f lat ti res, an aut horiz ed Aud i dealer o r
qu alified wor kshop must reprogram the
con tro l mod ule.
•
•

216 Tires and wheels
Run-flat tires have special characteristics
and requirements, that are very different
from conventiona l tires. Run-flat tires re­
quire special rims for run-flat use and can­
not be used on conventional wheel rims.
(D Tips
- If you are not able to continue driving
with run-flat tires, please seek professio­
nal assistance .
- Please contact your authorized Audi
dealer or Audi of America, Inc. if you
have questions about tires and r ims.
Driving with run-flat tires
App lies to vehicles: with Run -flat tires
Handling characteristics change when tire
pressure is low .
Driving on tires with low tire pressure changes
the way a vehicle handles, particularly when
cornering and braking . The handling charac­
teristics of run-flat tires do not seem to
change a lot even when dr iving on low pres­
sure or in the run-flat mode . Nevertheless you
must still take special precautions when oper­
ating a vehicle on run-flat tires when tire pres­
sure is low or the tire(s) is fla t:
"'The Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP)
must be switched on.
> Never drive faste r than 50 mph (80 km/h)
¢,& .
"'Plan ahead when driving and anticipate
what you will have to do considering traffic
and road conditions up ahead.
"' Accelerate carefully.
"' Avoid unnecessary and sudden steer ing and
braking maneuvers .
"' Reduce your speed in plenty of time before
i ntersections, curves and other places where
you may have to react quickly.
Please see:
¢ page 215, When it is not possi­
ble to continue driving, even with run-flat
tires?
Handling characteristics change when
driving with low air pressure or with flat
tires even with special run-flat tires
A low pressure or flat front tire affects vehicle
handling characterist ics by pulling the vehicle
slightly to the side whe re the tire is mounted
and reduces braking performance .
A low pressure or flat
rear tire also affects
driving characteristics by pulling to the s ide
where the tire is mounted and also reduces
braking performance . The effect on vehicle
handling is most noticeable when driving
aro und curves .
A WARNING
Changed vehicle hand ling characteristics
when driving in the run-flat mode can
cause loss of vehicle control, a crash and
serious personal injury.
- Driving on special run-flat tires in the
run-flat mode will change vehicle han­
dling characterist ics dur ing braking,
when cornering and under heavy acceler­
ation .
- Never drive faster than the max imum
rated speed of 50 mph (80 km/h) when
driving in the run-flat mode.
- Always adjust vehicle speed to traff ic,
road and weather conditions and drive
slower than the maximum rated speed if
necessary weathe r and road cond it ion s
are taken into account.
- Always obey speed limits and other traf­
f ic laws.
(D Note
We always recommend driving with even
more care when using these special tires in
the run-flat mode. Always avoid sudden
maneuve rs.