VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI 2013 5G / 7.G Owners Manual

Tires and wheel rims approved by Volkswagen have been matched precisely to your vehicle model
and contribute considerably to good handling and safe vehicle performance.
Tightening torque
Wheel bolts must always be installed with the correct tightening torque .295. The required tightening
torque for your vehicle's wheel bolts is 88 ft-lbs (120 Nm). After changing a wheel, the bolt torque
must be checked as soon as possible with an accurate torque wrench. See an authorized Volkswagen
dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Wheel rims with bolted rim rings
Wheel rims with bolted rim rings have several parts. The parts are bolted together with special screws
in a special process. This helps to ensure that they will work properly, prevent leaks, run true and
safely. Damaged wheel rims must be replaced, and you must never take them apart or try to repair
them yourself. Have an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility
repair them for you ⇒ .
Wheel rims with bolted decorative covers
Light-alloy wheels may have interchangeable decorative covers attached to the rim with self-locking
screws. If you want to replace damaged wheel covers, contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
WARNING
Using improper or damaged wheel rims can affect driving safety, cause accidents and severe
personal injury.
x Use only wheel rims approved for the vehicle.
x Regularly check wheel rims for damage and replace them if necessary.
WARNING
Improper loosening and tightening of the bolts on wheel rims with bolted rim rings can cause
accidents and severe personal injury.
x Never loosen bolted connections on wheel rims with bolted rim rings.
x Have all work on wheel rims with bolted rim rings performed by an authorized Volkswagen
dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Tire inflation pressure

Fig. 160 Location of the tire inflation pressure label.

Applicable only in Canada
Tire inflation pressure in cold tires

Tread wear indicator (TWI) in the tire
The 1/16 in (1.6 mm) high wear indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread grooves of the
original tires running across the treads ⇒ fig. 161. Several wear indicators are evenly spaced around
the tire. Markings on the sides of the tires (for example “TWI” or symbols) show the position of the
wear indicators.
Wear indicators show when the tires are worn down. The tires must be replaced no later than when
the tread pattern is worn down to the wear indicators.
WARNING
Worn tires are dangerous and can cause loss of vehicle control including serious personal
injuries.
x Never drive a vehicle when the tread on any tire is worn down to the wear indicators,
replace them sooner.
x Worn tires do not grip the road properly, especially on wet roads, increasing your risk of
“hydroplaning” and loss of control.
x Worn tires reduce the ability of your vehicle to handle well in normal and difficult driving
situations and increase braking distances and the risk of skidding.
Tire wear and damage

Wheel alignment – Incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive and uneven tire wear, impairing
vehicle safety. If you notice excessive or uneven tire wear, have the wheel alignment checked by an
authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
WARNING
Unusual vibrations or pulling to one side can indicate tire damage.
x Reduce speed immediately and stop when it is safe to do so.
x Check tires and wheel rims for damage.
x Never drive with a damaged tire or rim. Get expert assistance instead.
x If no external damage is visible, slowly and carefully drive to the nearest authorized
Volkswagen dealer, authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or other qualified workshop and
have the vehicle checked.
Spare wheel or compact spare wheel

Fig. 162 In the luggage compartment: Handwheel holding the spare wheel in place.

Fig. 163 In the luggage compartment: Compact spare wheel.

Stowing the replaced wheel
x Hook the floor covering on the upper edge of the luggage compartment.
x Put the wheel you took off the vehicle into the spare wheel well so that the center hole of the rim is
aligned with the threaded pin.
x Turn the handwheel clockwise until the wheel replaced is securely in place.
x If necessary, return the vehicle tool kit to its location in the luggage compartment.
x Unhook the floor covering and fold it back down onto the floor of the luggage compartment.
x Close the rear hatch.
If the spare wheel is different from the road wheels
If the spare is different from the road wheels, a compact spare wheel, for example, or if the road
wheels are winter tires, the spare wheel must be used only in the event of a flat tire, only for a brief
time, and only when driving with extra caution ⇒ .
Replace it with a tire matching the others on your vehicle as soon as possible.
Please heed the following:
x Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)!
x Avoid full-throttle acceleration, hard braking and fast cornering!
x Do not use snow chains on the compact spare wheel
x After installing the spare wheel or compact spare wheel, check the tire pressure as soon as
possible
Check the tire inflation pressure of the spare or compact spare whenever you check the tire pressure
of the road wheels, at least once a month. Inflate a spare wheel to the cold tire pressure specified for
the vehicle's road wheels on the tire pressure label; inflate a compact spare wheel to the cold tire
pressure specified for the compact spare on the tire pressure label or on a separate label for the
compact spare, if there is one.

WARNING
Improper use of a spare wheel or a compact spare wheel can cause loss of vehicle control, a
crash or other accident, and serious personal injury.
x Never use a spare wheel or compact spare wheel if it is damaged or worn down to the
wear indicators.
x In some vehicles, the spare wheel or compact spare wheel is smaller than the original tire.
A smaller compact spare wheel is identified with a sticker and the words “50 mph” or
“80 km/h”. This is the maximum permissible speed when driving with this tire.
x Never drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) with a compact spare wheel. Avoid full-throttle
acceleration, heavy braking, and fast cornering!
x Never drive more than 125 miles (200 km) if a compact spare wheel is installed on the front
axle (drive axle).
x Replace the compact spare with a normal wheel and tire as soon as possible. Compact
spare tires are designed for brief use only.
x Regularly check the U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) to determine the age of the
compact spare wheel. Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at higher speeds.
x Tires that are more than 6 years old can only be used in an emergency and then with
special care and at lower speeds.
x The compact spare wheel must always be secured with the wheel bolts provided by the
factory.
x Never drive using more than one compact spare wheel.
x After installing the compact spare wheel, the tire pressure must be checked as soon as
possible.
x Snow chains cannot be used on the compact spare wheel. If you must use snow chains
and have a compact spare wheel mounted, move the compact spare wheel to the rear axle if a
front tire has to be replaced. The tire taken off the rear axle can then be used to replace the
flat front tire. Be sure you do not change the tire's direction of rotation. Install the snow
chains on the full-sized road tire.
NOTICE
When the spare wheel or compact spare is being used, the TPMS indicator light can come on
after a couple of minutes
If possible, attach the spare wheel, compact spare wheel, or wheel you took off the vehicle
securely in the luggage compartment.

Tire labeling

Fig. 164 International tire labeling.

Tire labeling (example) Meaning
E4 ... Labeling according to international regulations (E) including
number of the approving country. The multi-digit approval number
is listed next.
DOT BT RA TY5 1709 Tire identification number (TIN)7 – In some cases the
manufacturing date is only on one side of the tire:
DOT The tire complies with the requirements of the United
States Department of Transportation, responsible for
issuing safety standards.
BT Identification letter of the manufacturing site.
RA Manufacturer information regarding tire dimensions.
TY5 Tire characteristics provided by the manufacturer.
1709 Manufacturing date: 17th week in 2009.
TWI Marks the position of the treadwear indicator
Made in Germany Country of manufacture.
MAX LOAD 615 KG (1356 LBS) United States maximum load rating per wheel.
MAX INFLATION 350 KPA
(51 PSI)
United States maximum permissible inflation pressure.
ROTATION Rotation direction (unidirectional tires)
SIDEWALL 1 PLY RAYON Tire ply composition and materials used:
1 layer of rayon.
TREAD 4 PLIES
1 RAYON + 2 STEEL +
1 NYLON
Tire tread composition and materials used:
In this example there are 4 layers under the tread: 1 layer of
rayon, 2 layers of steel belt and 1 layer of nylon.
Consumer information regarding comparison to specified base tires (standardized test
procedure)
TREADWEAR 220 Relative service life expectancy of the tire referenced to a U.S.-
specific standard test.
TRACTION A Traction rating under wet conditions (AA, A, B or C).
TEMPERATURE A Temperature stability of the tire at increased test bench speeds
(A, B or C).
Additional numbers found on the tire could either be tire manufacturer internal labels or
country-specific labels (such as for Brazil and China).

Unidirectional tires
Unidirectional tires are designed to rotate only in one direction. Unidirectional tires have arrows on the
sidewalls that show the direction of rotation. Make sure you mount the tire so that it rotates in the
proper direction. The tire's performance with regard to hydroplaning, traction, noise, and wear is worse
if it is not mounted in the proper direction of rotation.
If you have to mount a tire opposite to its proper direction of rotation, you must drive more carefully,
since the tire is no longer being used as designed. This is particularly important on wet roads. You
must replace or remount the tire as soon as possible in order to restore the correct direction of
rotation.

7 TIN represents the serial number of the tire.

Load rating code
The load index indicates the maximum permissible load per individual tire in pounds (kilograms).
91 1356 lbs (615 kg)
92 1388 lbs (630 kg)
93 1433 lbs (650 kg)
95 1521 lbs (690 kg)
97 1609 lbs (730 kg)
98 1653 lbs (750 kg)
99 1709 lbs (775 kg)
100 1763 lbs (800 kg)
101 1819 lbs (825 kg)
102 1874 lbs (850 kg)
103 1929 lbs (875 kg)
104 1984 lbs (900 kg)
110 2337 lbs (1060 kg)
Speed rating code letter
The speed rating code letter indicates the maximum permissible road speed of the tires.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (160 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)
Some tire manufacturers label tires with a maximum permissible road speed above 149 mph
(240 km/h) with the letter combination “ZR.”