lll'ft __ T_ir_e_s_ a_n_d_ w_ h_ e_e_l_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, particu larly considering the comparatively smal l patch
of rubber on each tire that assures that all-important contact
between you, your vehic le and t he road.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure, making sure that your vehicle
and its t ires do not have to carry more we ight than they can safely
handle, avoiding damage from road hazards and regularly
inspecting tires for damage inc luding cuts, slashes irregular wear
and overa ll condition are the most important things that you can do
to help avoid sudden tire failure inc luding tread separation and
blowouts.
Av o idin g d a m age
If you have to drive over a curb or similar obstac le, drive very slowly
and as close as possib le at a right angle to the curb .
Always keep chem icals including grease, oi l, gaso line and brake
flu id off the ti res.
Inspect t he t ires regu larly fo r damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc .l.
Remove any foreign bodies embedded in the treads .
St oring t ire s
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate the direction of rota-
tion . This ensures you to be able to moun t them correctly w hen you
reinstal l them.
When removed, the wheels or tires shou ld be stored in a coo l, dry
and preferably dark place .
Store tires in a vert ical pos it ion if they are not mounted on rims, in
a horizonta l position if they are mounted on rims.
New tire s
New tires have to be broken in=> & .
The tread depth of new ti res may vary, according to the type and
make of tire and the tread pattern .
Hidd e n dam ag e
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily visible . If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pu lls to one side, this may ind icat e
that one of the tires has been damaged . The tires must be checked
immediately by an authorized Audi dealer or qual ified workshop .
Unid irec ti o n a l tir e s
A unid irect ional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewa ll, that
point in the direction the tire is designed to rotate. You must fo llow
t he specified directio n of rotation . This is necessary so that t hese
tires can deve lop their optimum characteristics regarding grip, road
noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance . For more information
=>
page 357.
& WARNING
New t ires or tire s that are old, w orn or damaged cannot provide
maximum control and braking ability.
• New tire s tend to be slipper y and must be broken in. To reduce
the risk of losing cont rol, a collision and serious personal injurie s,
drive w ith special care for the first 350 mile s (560 km l.
• Driving wi t h worn or damaged tir es can lead to loss of control ,
sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation, .,_
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