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Tires and \Nheels
Tires and \Nheels
213
CI)
Note
_ For technical reasons, it is not generally
possible to use the wheel ri ms from oth-
er vehicles. This can hold true for wheels
of the same vehicle type.
- Ifthe 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 tire for a
short period of time only and drive with
extra care. Replace the flat tire with the
tire matching 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 requirements.
Uniform tire quality grading
- Tread wear
- Traction AA ABC
- Temperature ABC
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire side wall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width
Q
page 209,
fig.
154.
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 ofthe tire when tested
under controlled condition? on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded ISO would wear
one and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance oftires depends
upon the actual conditions oftheir 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
tractian
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 controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have pOor
traction performance
Q..1,.
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-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure Q,&..
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 B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the
minimum~quired
by Law.
ln.
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
cha racteristics.
ln.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es-
.
. '
ly inflated
tabllshed for a tire that
IS
proper
and not overloaded. Excessive speed, un-
derinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Winter tires
Win ter tires can improve vehicle handling an
snow and ice. At temperatures below
45 oF
(7
oC)
we recommend changing
to
win ter
tires.
In some heavy snow areas, local governments
may require true winter or "snow" tires, those
with very deeply cut tread. These tires should
only be used in pairs and be installed on all
four wheels. Make sure you purchase snow
tires that are the same size and construction
type as the other tires on your vehicle.
Ifyour vehicle is equipped with all-wheel
drive', this will improve traction during winter
driving, even with the standard tires. Howev-
er, we strongly recommend that you always
equip all four wheels on your vehicle with cor-
rectly fitted winter tires or all-season tires,
when winter road conditions are expected.
This also improves the vehicle's braking per-
formance and reduces stopping distances.
Summer tires provide less grip on ice and
snow.
Winter tires (snow tires) must always be fitted
on all four wheels.
Ask your authorized Audi dealer or qualified
workshop for permitted winter tire sizes. Use
only radial winter tires.
Winter tires lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of 0.157 inch
(4
mm).
Only drive with winter tires under winter con-
ditions. Summer tires handle better when
there is no snow or ice on the roads and the
temperature is above 4S oF (7 oC).
Ifyou have a flat tire, see notes on spare
wheel
Q
page 209.
Pl ease always remember that winter tires may
have a lower speed rating than the tires origi-
nally installed on your vehicle at the time it
;a s manufactured. Please see
Qpage 210,
Peed rating (letter code)
for a listing of the
sPeed rating letter codes and the maximum
SPeed at which the tires can be driven.
The speed rating letter code
(Q
page 200)
is
on the side wall of the tire
Q
page 209.
ln.
WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max-
imum speed. Always know the maximum
speed before driving off. Never drive faster
tha n the speed permitted for your specific
winter tires. This will cause damage to the
tires leading to an accident and serious
personal injury to you and your passen-
gers.
ln.
WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your vehicle
were designed can cause tire failure in-
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,
loss of control, crashes and serious per-
sonal injuries. Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately.
- Winter tires have maximum speed rating
that may be lower than your vehicle's
maximum speed.
- Never drive faster than the speed for
which the winter or other tires installed
on your vehicle are rated.
ln.
WARNING
Always adjust your driving to the road and
traffic conditions. Never let the good ac-
celeration of the winter tires and all-wheel
drive tempt you into taking extra risks. Al-
ways remember:
- When braking, an all-wheel drive vehicle
handles in the same way as a front drive
vehicle.
- Drive carefully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even winter tires
cannot help under black ice conditions.
~
For the sake of the environ ment
Use summer tires when weather condi-
tions permit. They are quieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
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