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
reg ularly inspect ing t ires for damage includ-
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.
Avoiding damage
If you have to 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 chemicals includ ing grease, 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
bod ies embedded in the treads.
Storing tires
Mark tires when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation . This ensures you to
be ab le to mount them correctly when you re-
install 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 .
Tire s an d wheel s 24 7
New tires
New ti res have t o 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.
Hidden damage
Damage to tires and rims is often not readily
visible . If you notice unusual vibrat ion or the
vehicle pulls to one s ide, th is may ind icate
that one of the t ires has been damaged . The
ti res m ust be chec ked immed iate ly by an au-
thorized Audi dea ler or q ua lified workshop .
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
fol low the specified direction of rotation . This
is necessary so t hat these t ires can develop
their optimum characteristics regarding grip,
road noise, wear and hydrop laning resistance.
For more information
~ page 275.
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
also be broken-in. To reduce the risk of
losing control, a collision and serious
personal injuries, drive with special care
for the first 350 miles (560 km).
- Driving with worn or damaged tires can
lead to loss of control, sudden tire fail-
ure, including a blowout and sudden de-
flation, cras hes a nd seriou 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 fail sudden ly, especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more than 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and then with special care and at low
speed.
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