Tires And Wheels; Tires - Audi TT Roadster 2011 Owner's Manual

194 T ire s and w heel 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 all- important contact between
you, you r vehicle and the road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, mak ing
sure that your vehicle and its t ires do not have
to carry mo re weight than they can safely han-
dle, avoiding damage from road hazards and
regularly inspecting t ires for damage includ-
ing cuts, slashes irregu lar wear and overall
condition are the most important things that
you can do to help avoid sudden tire failure in-
cluding tread separat ion and blowouts.
Avoiding damage
If you have t o drive over a curb or similar ob-
stacle, drive very slow ly and as close as possi-
ble at a right angle to the curb.
Always keep chem icals incl uding gre ase, oil,
gasoline and brake fluid off the t ires.
Inspect the t ires regularly for damage (cuts,
cracks or blisters, etc.). Remove any fo reign
bodies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark ti res when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . This ensures you to
be able to mount them correctly when you re-
install t hem.
When removed, the whee ls or t ires should be
stored in a cool, dry and preferably dark place.
Store tires in a vertical position if they are not
mounted on rims, in a horizontal posit ion if
they are mounted on rims.
New tires
New t ires have t o be broken in ¢ &,..
The tread depth of new t ires may vary, accord-
ing to the type and make of t ire and the tread
patte rn.
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is ofte n not readily
visible . If you notice unusual vibrat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one side, th is may ind icate
t hat one of the t ires has been damaged . The
t ires must be checked immed iate ly by an au-
tho rized Aud i dealer or quali f ied wor kshop.
Unidirectional t ires
A unidirectional tire can be identified by ar-
rows on the sidewa ll , that point in the direc-
t ion the t ire is desig ned to rotate. You must
f ol low the specified direct ion of rot ation . This
is necessary so tha t these t ires can develop
their optimum characterist ics regarding grip,
road noise, wear and hyd rop laning resistance.
For more information ¢ page 226.
A
WARNING
-
New tires or t ires that are old, 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 collision and serious personal
injur ies, drive w ith special care fo r 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 blowou t and sudden de-
fla tion, crashes and seriou s personal in-
juries . Have wo rn 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 high
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.