198 Tire s and whe e ls
& WARNING
Sudden tire failure can lead to loss of con-
trol, a crash and serious personal injury!
- Never drive a vehicle when the tread on
any t ire is worn down to the wear indica-
tors .
- Worn tires are a safety hazard, they do
not grip well on wet roads and increase
your risk of "hyd roplaning" and loss of
control.
- Always keep chemicals that can cause
t ire damage, such as grease, oil, gasoline
and brake fl uid away from t ires.
- Tires age even if they are not being used
and can fail suddenly , especially at high
speeds. Tires that are more t han 6 years
old can only be used in an emergency
and t hen with special care and at lower
speeds.
- Never mount used ti res on your vehicle if
you are not sure of their " previous histo -
ry." Old used ti res may have been dam -
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
New tires and replacing tires and wheels
New tires and wheels have to be broken in .
Fig. 144 Tire spec ification codes on t he sidewall of a
tire
No. Description
<D
Passenger car tire (wher e applicable)
@
Nomina l w idt h of t ire in mill imeters
®
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
©
Radial
®
Rim diameter code
®
Load index and speed rating
(J)
U.S. DOT tire ident ification number
®
Aud i Origina l t ire
®
Sever snow condit ions
@
Tire ply composi t ion and mat erials used
@
Maximum load rat ing
@
Treadwear, traction and tempe rat ure
grades
@
Maxim um permiss ible inflation pres-
sure
The tires and rim s are essential parts of the
vehicle's desig n. The t ires and rims approved
by Audi are specially matched to the charac-
te ristics of the vehicle and can make a major
contri but ion to good road holding and safe .,..
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