warning AUDI TT ROADSTER 2014 Owners Manual

Checking the engine coolant level
The engine coolant level can be checked with
a quick glance .
Fig. 134 Eng ine compartme nt: cover o n the coolant
expansion tank
Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
a lway s read and he ed all WARN ­
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 165.
.,. Park your vehicle on a level surface.
.,. Switch the ignition
off .
.,. Read the coola nt level at the coolant expan­
s ion tank
¢ page 167, fig . 130. With a cold
engine, it must be above the "min" mark.
With a hot engine, it can be a l ittle above
the indica ted range.
The location of the coolant expans ion tank
can be seen in the engine compar tment illus­
tration
¢page 167.
To obtain an accurate read ing, the eng ine
must be switched
off.
The expans ion tank in your vehicle is equipped
with a n electric coolant level sensor.
When the coo lant level is too low, the warning
light in the Auto-Check System¢
page 17 will
illum inate until you add coolant and the level
has been restored to normal. Even though
there is an electric coolant level sensor, we
still recommend you check the coolant leve l
from time to time.
Coolant loss
Coolant loss may indicate a leak in the cool ing
system. In the event of coolant loss, the cool­
i ng system should be inspected immediately
Checkin g and fillin g 173
by your authorized Audi dea ler . It is not
enough merely to add coo lant .
In a
s ealed system, losses can o ccu r on ly if
the boiling point o f the coo lant is exceeded as
a res ult of overheating.
(D Note
Do not ad d any type of radiator leak sea l­
ant to your veh icle's engine coo lant. Add­
ing radiator repa ir flui d may adverse ly af ­
fect the function and performance of yo ur
cooling system and could result in damage
not covered by your New Vehicle Limited
War ranty.
Adding coolant
Be very careful when adding engine coolant.
Before you check anyth ing in the engine com ­
partment,
alway s read and heed alt WARN­
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 165.
... Tu rn off the engine .
.,. Let the engine cool down.
.,. Place a thick rag ove r the coolant expansion
tank ¢
page 173, fig. 134 and carefully
twist the cap counter-clockwise ¢_& .
.,. Add coo lant m ixed in the correct rat io
¢ page 172, Coolant .
.,. Twist the cap on aga in tightly.
Rep lacement engine coo lant must conform to
exact specificat ions¢
page 172, Coolant.
We recommend using only coolant add itive
Gl2 ++, Gl3 or in an emergency Gl2+. Do not
use a different additive. In an emergency use
plain water until you can get the correct addi­
tive and can resto re the correct ratio . Th is
shou ld be done as soon as possib le.
If you have lost a cons iderab le amount of
coolant, then you should add cold ant ifreeze
and co ld wate r on ly when the engine is cold.
Always use
new engine coolant when refilling.
Do not fill coolant above the "MAX" mark. Ex-
cess coolant will be fo rced o ut through the ..,_
•
•

17 4 Che cking and filling
pressure relie f valve in the cap when the
engine becomes hot .
.&_ WARNING
-The coo ling system is under pressure and
can get
very hot. Reduce the risk of
sca lding from hot coolant by following
these steps .
- Turn off the eng ine and a llow it to cool
down.
- Protec t your face, hands and arms from
escap ing fl uid and steam by cover ing
the cap with a large, thick rag.
- Tu rn the cap slowly and
very ca refully
in a counter -clockwise direct ion while
applying light, downward p ress ure on
the top of the cap.
- To avo id being burned, do not sp ill an­
tifreeze or coolant on the exhaust sys­
tem or hot engine parts. Under certain
conditions, the ethylene glyco l in en­
g ine coolant can catch fire.
- Antifreeze is poisonous. Always store an ­
t ifreeze in its or iginal container and we ll
out of the reach of children.
- If you drain the coolant, it must be
caught and safely stored in a proper con­
ta iner clearly marked "poison".
(D Note
- Coolant po llutes the environment and
could cause an engine fire. Excess cool­
ant will be forced out through the pres­
sure re lief
valve in the cap when the en­
gine becomes hot .
- If, in an emergency, only water can be
added, the correct ratio between wate r
and antifreeze~
page 172 must be re­
stored as soon as possib le.
@) For the sake of the environment
Dra ined coolant should not be reused. Al­
ways dispose of used coolant while obse rv­
ing all environmental regulations .
Radiator fan
The radiator fan switches on automatically by
itself .
The electric radiator fan is controlled by ther­
moswitches that switch on and off depending
on coolant and eng ine compartment tempera­
tures.
An a uxiliary electric radiator fan* sw itches on
and off depending on coolant temperature
and other vehicle operat ion conditions .
After you switch the engine off, the aux iliary
fan can continue running for up to 10 minutes
-even w ith the ignition off. It can even switc h
on aga in later by itself
c> &. , if
- the temperature of the engine coo lant rises
due to the heat build-up from the engine in
the engine compartment, or
- the engine compartment heats up because
the vehicle is parked in intense sunlight.
.&_ WARNING
-
- To reduce the risk of personal inju ry nev-
er touch the radiator fan.
- The auxiliary electric fan is temperature
controlled and can sw itch on suddenly
even when the engine is not ru nning.
- The auxiliary radiator fan sw itches on au­
tomatically when the engine coo lant
reac hes a certain t emperature and w ill
continue to run until the coolant temper­
a ture drop s.
Brake fluid
' Checking brake fluid level
N
N
N
" ~
Fi g. 13S Engine compartment: cover on th e brake fluid
reservoir

Before you check anything in the engine com­
partment,
always r ead and heed all WARN­
ING S
~ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 165.
.. Read the brake flu id level from the brake
fluid reservoir
9 page 167, fig. 130 . The
brake f lu id leve l must be between the "MIN"
and "MAX" markings.
The brake f luid reservoir is located behind the
rear partition of the engine compartment on
the left side
9 page 167.
The fl uid level may drop slightly after some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the brake pads . This is not cause for alarm .
If the brake fluid level falls considerably be­
l ow the "M IN" mark, the brake wa rning/indi ­
cator light (U .S . mode ls:
1111 , Canadian
models: .) will come on ¢
page 14 . Do not
continue to operate the vehicle. The complete
brake system shou ld be thoroughly checked
by an authorized Audi dealer or other quali­
f ied fac ility and the cause corrected . If the
b rake fluid level is too low, the brake warn ing/
i ndicator light w ill illuminate . Co ntact an au­
thor ized Audi dealer
immediately .
Changing brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed by an experi­
enced technician .
Brake fluid abso rbs moistu re from the a ir . If
the water content in the brake fluid is too
hi gh, cor ros ion in the b rake system may result
after a per iod of t ime . The bo iling po int of t he
b ra ke fluid w ill also decrease considerab ly and
decrease braking performance.
Therefore, the brake flu id must be changed
e very two year s. Always use new b rake fluid
which confo rms to Fede ral Motor Vehicle
Standard "FMVSS 1 16 DO T 4".
The brake flu id rese rvoi r ca n be difficult to
r each, therefo re , we recommend that yo u
h ave the brake fl uid changed by you r autho r­
i zed
Audi dealer . Your deale r has the correct
Checkin g and fillin g 175
tools, the right brake fl uid and t he know -how
to do this for you .
A WARNING
-Brake flu id is poisonous. It must be stor­
ed only in the closed or iginal container
out of the reach of children!
- Brake failure can res ult from o ld or inap­
propriate brake f lu id. Observe these pre­
cautions:
- Use only b rake fluid th at mee ts SA E
spe cificat ion
J 17 03 and conforms to
Federa l Mo to r Ve hicl e Standard 1 16.
Always check with yo ur authorized Au di
dealer to make sure yo u are using the
correct brake fluid. The cor rect type of
brake f luid is also ind icated on the
brake f luid reservoir .
- The bra ke fluid must be new. Heavy use
of the brakes ca n cause a vapor lock if
the brake fluid is left i n the system too
long. This can se riously affect the effi­
c iency of the b rakes as well as your
safety , T his could result in an accide nt.
(!) Note
Brake fluid will damage the pai nt of your
vehicle.
@) For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal
of brake fluid as well as the spec ial too ls
r equired and the nec essary expertise, we
r ecommend that yo u have th e brake flu id
c hanged by you r aut ho rized Aud i dea le r.
Battery
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with a specia l bat­
tery, an
ACM battery. This battery is located
in the luggage compartment and must be re­
placed with an origina l equipment batte ry .
Un der normal ope rat ing condit io ns, t he bat-
te ry is
maintenanc e-free . .,.
•
•

176 Check ing and filling
Have the battery checked when you take your
vehicle in for service. You are well advised to replace a battery that is older than S years .
Disconn ect ing the battery terminals
Some veh icle functions (power w indow regu­
lators, for example) are lost if the battery ter ­
minals are disconnected . These functions have
to be re learned after the battery terminals are
connected again. To prevent this, the battery
should only be d isconnected from the vehicle
electr ical system when absolutely necessary
for repairs .
V ehicles not dri ven for l ong period s
If you do not drive your vehicle over a period
of several days or weeks, electrical compo­ nents are gradually cut back or switched off .
This reduces energy consumption and main­ tains starting capab ility over a longer period
c:::>
page 147. Some of the convenience func­
tions may not operate, suc h as the inte rior
l ights or power seat adjustme nt. The conven­
i ence functions wi ll be ava ilable aga in whe n
you switch on the ignition and start the en ­
gine.
Winter operati on
During the winter months, batte ry capacity
tends to decrease as tempe ratu res d rop . This
is because more powe r is also consumed while
start ing , and the headlights, rea r window de ­
fogger, etc., are used more often.
Avoid unnecessary power consumption, par­
ticularly in c ity traffic or when t rave ling on ly
short distances. Let you r authorized Aud i
dea ler check the capacity of the vehicle bat ­
tery before winter sets inc:::>
page 179 . A we ll
charged battery w ill not only prevent starting
prob lems when the weather is cold, but will
a lso last longer .
Replacing battery
The new battery must have the same capaci­
ty, vo ltage (12 volts), amperage, construction
and p lug sealing, as the origina l battery. Spec­
if ications are listed on the battery housing.
Batteries specially developed by Audi fulfill the maintenance, outp
ut, and safety require­
ments .
When install ing the battery, m ake su re the ig­
ni tion and a ll ele ct rical consumers are switch ­
ed off
c:::> (i) .
We recommend that you use maintenance­
free or
cy cle-re si stant /leak -proof b atter ies
accord ing to the s tanda rds TL 825 06 (from
Apri l 2008) and VW 7 SO 73 (from April
2010) .
Rep lac ing the bat tery shou ld be car ried by a
qualified wo rkshop. Please fo llow the instruc­
tions on the battery cover .
(D Note
- All wo rk on the ba tte ry req uire s techn i­
c al know ledge . Please con ta ct an Aud i
dealership o r another authorized faci lity
for questions abo ut the batte ry -danger
o f ac id burns and exp losion hazard!
- The battery must not be opened! Do not
try to change the battery's liquid level,
otherwise detonating gas will escape
from the battery - explosion hazard!
- The AGM battery in the l uggage com­
partment cannot leak, because the elec­
tro lyte for this battery is absorbed into a
special glass mat. This leak-proof battery
must not be replace with a convent ional
battery.
- Make sure the ventilation hose on the
side of the battery is connected, other­
w ise fumes or battery ac id can leak out .
- Batte ry holder and termina ls always
have to be secured correctly .
- Before all work on the battery follow the
warnings be low c:::> .&. in Working on the
battery on page 177.
@ For the sake of the environment
Because of the prob lem of proper disposal
of a battery, we recommend your author­
iz ed Audi dealer change the battery for
you. Batteries contain sulfur ic acid and
l ead and must a lways be disposed o f prop-
erly in compliance wi th al l envi ronmental ..,.

regulations. Disposing of vehicle batteries
improper ly is very dangerous to the envi­
ronment . Make sure that the removed bat­
tery cannot overbalance, otherwise sulfu­
r ic acid might escape!
If your vehicle is left standing for severa l
weeks at extremely low temperat ures, the
veh icle battery should be removed and
stored where it will not freeze . This will
prevent it from being damaged and hav ing
to be replaced.
Working on the battery
Be especially careful when working on or near
the battery!
The battery is located in the luggage compart­
ment under the floor . Before you work on or
n ea r the battery,
re ad and heed all WARN­
INGS ~.,&. .
Always heed the safety warning s, when work­
i ng on the vehicle battery or the ve hicle elec ­
tr ica l system to prevent injury .
The following WARNINGS are very
important when working on the battery:
Always heed the following WARNING SYM -
BOLS and safety precautions when working on the battery.
®
Always we ar eye prote ction .
~
Battery acid contains sulfuric acid. Al-
way s wear g loves and eye prot ection .
@
No
- sparks
- flames
- smoking.
~
When a battery i s ch arged, it produce s
hyd rogen ga s which i s explosi ve and
could cause personal injury.
®
Alway s keep the battery well out of
reach of children .
Checking and fillin g 177
_& WARNING
Whenever working on the battery or on
the electrical system, there is the risk of
injury, accident and even fire. Read and
heed the following WARNINGS:
-Always wear eye protection . Do not let
battery ac id or any lead parti cles get on
your skin o r clothing. Shield you r eyes.
Exp lo sive gases can cause blindne ss or
o ther inju ry.
-
- Battery acid conta ins sulfuri c acid. S ulfu­
ri c a cid can cau se blindness and severe
bu rns .
- Always wear g loves and eye protection.
Do not tilt the battery because acid
could leak out of the ventilat ion open­
i ngs.
- If you get battery acid in your eyes or
on your skin, immediately rinse with
cold water for several minutes and get med ica l attent io n.
- If you should ingest any batte ry acid,
seek medical att ention immediat ely.
- Do not expose the ba tte ry to an open
f lame, e lectr ic sparks or an open l igh t.
- Do not smoke.
- Do not interchange the positive and neg-
ative cables.
- When working on t he battery, be sure
not to short-circuit the termina ls w ith
too ls or other metal objects. This would
cause the battery to heat up ve ry quickly,
which could lead to damage or explosion
an d pe rsonal injury.
- W hen a battery is charged, it produces
hyd rogen gas which is explos ive and
could c ause personal in ju ry.
- Always keep the batt ery well out of the
rea ch of childre n.
- Before work is done on the elect rical sys­
tem, disconnect the negative g round ca­
ble.
- Before performing any work on t he e lec­
trical syste m, switch off the eng ine and
ignit ion as well as any elec tric al equip­
men t. The nega tive cable on the b attery •
•

1 78 Che cking and filling
must be disconnected . If you are just go­
ing to rep lace a light bu lb, then it is
enough to switch off the lights.
- Before disconnecting the battery, switc h
off the anti-theft alarm system! Other­
wise you will set off the alarm.
- When disconnecting the battery, first disconnect the negative cable and then
the positive cable .
- Before reconnect ing the battery, make
sure all electrical consumers are switch­
ed off . Reconnect the positive cable first
and then the negative cable. Never inte r­
change the cables - th is could start a fire!
- Never charge a frozen or a thawed-out battery.
It could explode! If a battery has
frozen, then it must be replaced. A dis­
charged battery ca n freeze over at 32 °F
(0 oc).
- Make sure the vent hose is always attach­
ed to the opening on the side of the bat­
tery .
- Never use batte ries which are damaged.
Danger of explos ion! Always rep lace a
damaged battery .
8_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, te rm inals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc­
tive problems. Wash hands after han­ dling.
(D Note
- Do not disconnect the vehicle battery when the ignition is switched on
or when
the engine is running, otherwise, you will
damage e lectronic components in the
electrical system.
- If your vehicle is going to stand for a long period of time without being driven,
protect the battery from "freezing", oth­
erwise it w ill be damaged and w ill then
have to be replaced .
Checking the battery acid level on magic
eye batteries*
The battery acid level in the battery can be
checked through the clear inspection window .
Fig . 1 36 Lu gga ge compar tment: Battery w ith magic
eye .
On top of the battery, there is a round "win­
dow". This window (magic eye) changes co lor
as the battery cha rge and ac id leve l change.
.,. Read and heed all WARNINGS
<=> .&_ in
Working on the battery on page 177
.,. Read the acid level from the window on the
battery <=>
fig. 136.
Air bubbles in the window can cause an inac­
curate reading . Carefu lly tap on the s ide of
the window.
- If the window is
green , the battery acid level
is correct.
- If the window has
no colo r or is brigh t y el­
lo w,
the battery acid level is too low . Have
the battery tested by your author ized Audi
dea ler or a qualified workshop.
- If the w indow is
black , then the battery is
insufficiently charged . Recharge the battery
as soon as possible¢
page 179 .
(D Note
Do not overfill the battery, otherw ise bat­
tery acid will ove rflow through the vent
opening . This can damage the paint and
cause corrosion .

Charging of battery
Starting the engine requires a well charged battery.
11-Al way s read and heed all WARNING S be­
low¢
A and ¢ A in Working on the bat­
tery on page 177.
11-Switch off the ignit ion and all electrical con­
sumers.
11-Make sure the area is well vent ilated when
you charge the bat tery.
11-Connect charger cables. ALWAY S co nnect
charge r cables POSITI VE
G) to POSITIVE
G) ; NEGATIVE Qto NEGA TIV E Q .
11-Switch on the charger.
11-Turn off the charger¢ &_.
11-Disconnect the charger cables.
11-Connect both battery cables to the battery if
necessary -
first plus, then m inus.
When charging at
low voltages (e.g. with a
trickle charg er), the battery cables do not
h ave to be d isconnected first. Before charging
at
high voltages, i.e. " fas t charging ", you
must disconnect both cables. In e ithe r case,
follow the instru ctions from the man ufactu rer
of the charger .
Fastcharging a battery is
dan gerou s¢ & in
Working on the battery on page 177.
It r e­
q ui res specia l charg ing equipment and the
know ledge to go with it. We recommend hav­
ing your battery fast charged on ly by a quali­
f ied workshop .
A discharged battery can
freeze at tempera ­
tures of on ly 32 °F (0 °C). A llow a frozen bat­
tery to thaw completely befo re attempting to
charge it¢ & . However, we recommend not
using a thawed battery again because the bat­
tery cas ing can be cracked due to ice forma­
tion and can leak battery acid.
Do not open the battery caps when charging
the battery.
A WARNING
-
Charging a battery can be dangerous.
Checkin g and fillin g 179
-Never charge a frozen battery. It may ex­
plode because of gas trapped in the ice.
Allow a frozen battery to thaw out first.
- Do not reuse batteries wh ich were fro­
zen. The battery housing may have
cracked and weakened when the battery
froze.
- Charge the battery in a well ventilated
area. Keep away from open flame or elec­
trical spark. Do not smoke. Hydrogen gas
generated by the battery is explos ive.
- To reduce the danger of explosion, never
connect or d isconnect c harger cab les
while the charger is ope rat ing.
- Fast cha rging a batte ry is dangerous and
should only be attempted by a compe­
tent techn ic ian with the prope r equip­
men t.
- Battery acid that may spi ll dur ing cha rg­
i n g should be washed off wi th a solu tion
of wa rm w ater and baking soda to neu­
trali ze the ac id.
(D Note
Neve r use a fast cha rg er as a boost er to
star t the engi ne. This w ill ser iously dam­
age sens it ive e lectronic componen ts, su ch
as cont ro l units, re lays, radio, etc., as well
as the batte ry charger.
(D Tips
T he vehicle ba tte ry mu st not be charged
wi th a standa rd small charger that plugs
into t he cigarette lighter or outlet . •
•

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
tively small patch of rubber on each tire that
assures that a ll- important contact between
you, your vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, mak ing
sure that your vehicle and its tires do not have
to carry more weight than they can safely han­
d le, avoiding damage from road hazards and
r eg ularly inspect ing t ires for damage i nclud­
ing cuts, slashes irregu la r wear and ove rall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to he lp avoid sudden tire failure in­
cluding tread separat ion and blowouts.
A vo idin g damage
If you have to drive over a curb or similar ob­
stacle, drive very slow ly and as close as possi ­
b le at a right angle to the curb.
A lways keep chemicals includ ing grease, o il ,
gasoline and brake fluid off the t ires .
I nspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or b listers, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bod ies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . Th is ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re­
i nstall them .
When removed, the wheels or t ires should be
sto red in a cool, dry 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 .
Tires an d wheel s 181
New tires
New ti res have to be broken in¢& .
The tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord­
ing to the type a nd make of t ire and the tread
patte rn.
H idden damage
Damage to tires and r ims is often not readily
visible . If you notice unusual v ib rat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
that one of the t ires has been damaged . T he
ti res m ust be chec ked immed iate ly by an au­
thorized Audi dea le r or q ua lified wor kshop .
Unidirectional tires
A un idirectional tire can be identified by ar­
rows on the sidewa ll, that po int in the direc­
tion the t ire is designed to rotate. You must
f ol low the specified di rection of rotation . T his
is necessary so that these tires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information
¢ page 212.
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 r isk of losing
control, a co llision and ser ious personal
in ju ries, d rive with special ca re for the
fi rst 350 m iles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
lead to loss of control, sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowout and sudden de­
fl ation, cras hes and se riou s personal in­
juries . Have worn or damaged t ires re­
placed immediate ly.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fai l sudden ly, especially at hig h
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then w ith special care and at low
speed.
•
•

load limits are not exceeded . Vehicle load in­
cludes everybody and everything in and on the
veh icle. These load limits are technically refer­
red to as the vehicle's G ross Vehicle We ight
Rating ("GVWR") . The Gross Axle Weight Rat­
ing ("GAWR") is th e ma ximum load that can
be ap plied at each of the veh icle's two axles .
The Gross Ve hicle We ight Rating and the
Gross Axle We igh t Rating a re listed on the
safety compliance st icker labe l located on the
d river's side 8-p illa r. T he 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 locat ion of the tire pressure label¢
fig. 138.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
hicle control, a cras h or other accident, se­
r ious personal inju ry, and even death.
- Carry ing more weight than your vehicle
was designed to carry will prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­ cr ease the ris k of a loss of veh icle con­
t ro l.
- T he bra kes on a veh icle that has been
overloaded may no t be ab le to stop t he
vehicle within a sa fe distance.
- T ires on a vehicle that has been ove rload­
ed can fail suddenly causing loss of con­
t ro l and a c rash.
A WARNING
- Incorre ct ti re pressures and/or underin­
fla tion can lead to a serious o r fata l acci ­
dent.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation cause increased tire wea r and can
affect the handling of the vehicle .
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin ­
flation can also lea d to sudden tire fa il­
u re, incl uding a b lowo ut and sudden de­
flation, causing loss of vehicle control.
Tire s an d wheel s 187
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the tires original­
ly installed on your vehicle is listed on the tire
pressure label located on driver's side 8-pil­ lar.
The recommended tire pressures are on the
ti re pressu re label and in the table
¢
page 185, Cold tire inflation pressure. This
mea ns tha t the pressu re m ust be chec ked and
adjus ted when the t ire has not been dr iven fo r
more than a couple of miles (kilometers) a t
low speeds d uring the previous three ho urs.
Air in the tires expands when the tire heats up
as a result of interna l frict ion as it flexes in
use. The tire pressure is higher when the tire
has warmed up than whe n it is "cold."
It is the inflation pressure in a "co ld" t ire that
counts. Therefore, you should never let a ir o ut
of a warm tire to match "Cold t ire inflat ion
pressure" recomme ndat io ns¢
page 185 . The
ti res wou ld then be underinflated and could
fail suddenly .
The tire pressure label on your Audi lists the recommended co ld tire inflation pressures for
the new, orig inal equ ipment tires that we re
on your veh icle at the time it was manufac­
tured. Fo r the location of t he labe l
¢page 185, fig. 138.
Most tires lose air natura lly ove r time . They
can a lso lose some air if you d rive over a pot­
hole or hit a curb while par king.
It is usually
not po ss ible to see whethe r the rad ia l t ires
u sed today are underinflated just by loo king
at them .
T he refore, be sure to check t ire p ressu res at
l east once a mo nth and a lways befo re goi ng
on a long t rip. M ake s ure to ta ke the n umber
of peop le and the amount o f luggage into ac ­
count when adjusting tire pressure for a trip -
even one that yo u wou ld not conside r to be
"long." See ¢
page 189, Tires and vehicle
load limits
for more important information .
A lways use an acc urate tire pressure ga uge
when checking and ad justing inflation pres­
s u res. Check all of the tires and be sure not to ..,.
•
•

188 Tire s and wheel s
forget the spare tire. If the pressure in any tire
is too high when the tire is "cold," let air out
of the tire slowly with the edge of the tire
ga uge and keep checking the pressure until
you reach the pressure that is correct for the
load (passengers and luggage) and kind of
driving you plan to do.
If the pressure in any tire is too low, note the
d ifference between the pressure in the cold
tire and the pressure you need and add the air
that you need to reach the correct pressure for
the vehicle load (passengers and luggage) for
the tires on your veh icle as listed on the on
your ve hicle and in this manua l and the kind
of dr iving you p lan to do .
Never exc eed th e maximum inflati on pres­
sure listed on th e tir e s idewall for any rea ­
s on.
Remembe r that the vehicle manufacturer, not
the t ire manufactu rer, determ ines the correct
tire pressure for the t ires on your vehicle.
It is important to check the tire pressure when
the t ires a re cold .
- Read the requ ired tire press ure from the tire
pressure label located on driver's side B-pil­
lar .
- Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise
to remove it from the tire valve.
- Place the air pressure gauge on the valve.
- The tire pressures sho uld only be checked
and adjusted when the tires are cold. The
slightly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced.
- Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are
carrying.
- Re insta ll the valve stem cap on the valve.
Wh en should I check the tir e pr essure?
The correct tire pressure is espe cially impor ­
tant at high speeds . The pressure should
therefore be checked at least once a month
and a lways before starting a journey.
When should I ad ju st the tire pressures?
Adj ust the t ire p ressu re to the load yo u are
carry ing . After changing a wheel
or replacing whee
ls you have to adjust the tire p ressures
o n all whee ls. In addition, yo u m ust then initi­
alize the new tire press ures in the t ire pres­
s u re monitoring system¢
page 199.
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinfla­
tion can lead sudden tire fa ilure, loss of
control, collision, serious pe rsonal injury
or even death.
- When the warn ing symbol
RI] appears in
the instrument cluster, stop and inspect
the t ires.
- Incorrect tire pressure and/or underinfla­
tion can cause increased tire wea r and
can affect the handling of the vehicle and
s topping ability.
- I nco rrect tire pressures and/or underin­
f lation can a lso lead to s udden t ire fail­
ure, including a blowout and su dden de­
flation, ca using loss of veh icle cont ro l.
- The drive r is responsible for the co rrec t
tire pressures for all tires on the veh icle .
The applicable pressure values are loca t­
ed on a sticker on the driver's side B -pil­
lar.
- On ly when all tires on the vehicle are fil­
led to the correct pressu re, the tire pres­
sure mon itor ing system can work cor­
rectly.
- The use of incorrect tire pressu re va lues
can lead to acc idents or other damage.
Therefore it is essential that the driver
observe the spec ified t ire pressure values
for the tires and the correct pressures for
the function of the t i re p ress ure monito r­
ing system.
- Always inf late tires to the recommended
and correct t ire pressure before dr iv ing
off.
- Driving with unde rinf lated tires bend
mo re, letting them get too hot resulting
in tre ad separation, sudden tire failure
and loss of cont ro l.
- Excessive speed and/overloading can
cause heat b uild- up, sudden tire failure
and loss of cont ro l.