Audi A4: Raising the vehicle

Applies to: vehicles with vehicle jack

Fig. 174 Sill panels: markings

Fig. 175 Sill: positioning the vehicle jack

• Place the vehicle jack from the vehicle tool kit on a firm surface. Use a flat, stable support if necessary. On a slippery surface such as tile, you should use a non-slip pad such as a rubber mat .
• Find the marking on the sill that is closest to the tire that will be changed > fig. 174. Behind the marking, there is a lifting point on the side sill for the vehicle jack.
• Turn the handwheel to raise the vehicle jack under the lifting point on the side sill until the bracket on the jack (1) completely covers the notch on the vehicle.
• Align the vehicle jack so the bracket (1) covers the notch and the base (2) is flat on the ground.

  The base (2) must be directly under the mounting point (1).

• Mount the crank on the vehicle jack: insert the crank into the opening on the handwheel. Turn the crank to the left or right to secure it.
• Continue raising the vehicle jack with the crank until the wheel lifts off the ground slightly.

WARNING

• To reduce the risk of injury, make sure no one is in the vehicle before raising it.
• Make sure the vehicle jack is stable. The risk of injury is increased when the ground is slippery or soft, because the vehicle jack could slide or sink.
• Only raise your vehicle with the vehicle jack provided by the factory. If you use a vehicle jack designed for another vehicle, your vehicle could slip and cause injury.
• Position the vehicle jack only at the designated mounting points on the side sill and align the jack. Otherwise, the vehicle jack could slip and cause an injury if it does not have sufficient hold on the vehicle.
• To reduce the risk of injury, do not raise any other vehicles or other loads using the vehicle jack provided by the factory.
• To reduce the risk of an accident, never start the engine when the vehicle is raised.
• To reduce the risk of injury, no work should be performed under the vehicle while it is raised.

Note

Do not lift the vehicle by the sill. Position the vehicle jack only at the designated mounting points on the side sill. Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged.

Removing and installing a wheel

Fig. 176 Wheel: internal hex socket to turn the wheel bolts

Fig. 177 Wheel: alignment pin in the top hole

Removing a wheel

• Remove the top wheel bolt completely using the hex socket in the screwdriver handle from the vehicle tool kit > fig. 176 and place it on a clean surface.
• Then install the alignment pin from the vehicle tool kit in the empty wheel bolt hole by hand > fig. 177.
• Remove the rest of the wheel bolts.
• Remove the wheel . The alignment pin remains in the hole while doing this.

Installing a wheel

Read the directions on when installing unidirectional tires.

• Slide the wheel on over the alignment pin .
• Install the wheel bolts and tighten them gently using the hex socket.
• Remove the alignment pin and tighten the remaining wheel bolt.
• Carefully lower the vehicle using the vehicle jack*.
• Tighten the wheel bolts in a diagonal pattern using the wheel wrench*.

The wheel bolts must be clean and loosen and tighten easily. Check the contact surfaces for the wheel and hub. Contaminants on these surfaces must be removed before installing the wheel.

WARNING

• Read and follow the important information and notes under.
• Never use the hex socket in the screwdriver handle or the hex socket wrench with the ratchet to loosen or tighten the wheel bolts.

  This increases the risk of an accident, because you will not be able to achieve the correct tightening specification.

Note

When removing or installing the wheel, the rim could hit the brake rotor and damage the rotor. Work carefully and have a second person help you.

Unidirectional tires

A unidirectional tire profile is identified by arrows on the tire sidewall that point in the running direction.

You must always maintain the specified running direction. This is necessary to ensure the tire's optimal performance in regard to adhesion, running noise, and friction, and to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.

To benefit fully from the advantages of the unidirectional tire design, you should replace faulty tires as soon as possible and restore the correct running direction on all of the tires.

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