Get Wheels and tires -> Taking care of wheels and tires Guide for Volkswagen Atlas SUV First Generation (2018-2023)

Wheels and tires

Introduction

Tires are the part of the vehicle that are under the most demand yet are the most underestimated. Tires are extremely important, because the small running surface

on the tires is the only point of contact that the vehicle has with the road.

The tire and rim combinations approved by Volkswagen are speciﬁcally designed for each other.

The service life of the tire depends on the tire pressure, the driving style, the way the tires are handled, and correct mounting of the tire.

Rims, tires and wheel bolts

Rims, tires, and wheel bolts are determined based on the vehicle model. Whenever another rim is installed, the wheel bolts to be used must have the correct length

and bolt head shape. This ensures that the brakes can work correctly and that the vehicle drives smoothly and safely. For technical reasons, standard rims from

other vehicles cannot be used. Under certain circumstances, this may even apply to rims for the same vehicle model. You must consult a suitably qualiﬁed

professional to replace rim/tire combinations. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

The correct wheel bolts must always be used for each vehicle model, and these bolts must always be tightened to the correct torque ⇒ Wheel bolts.

WARNING

New tires or tires that are old, worn, or damaged cannot provide the maximum vehicle control and braking effect.

Handling wheels and tires incorrectly can reduce driving safety and cause accidents and serious injuries.

For all four wheels, use only radial tires of the same design, size (rolling circumference), and tread pattern.

You must break in new tires because they have reduced traction and braking efﬁciency when they are new. To reduce the risk of accidents and serious

injuries, drive carefully during the ﬁrst 370 miles (600 km).

Regularly check the tire pressure when the tires are cold and always maintain the speciﬁed pressure. If the tire pressure is too low, the tire can heat up so

much while driving that the tread separates or the tire ruptures.

Check the tires regularly for damage and wear.

Never drive with tires that are damaged (punctured, cut, cracked, or bulging) or worn. Driving with tires in this condition can cause tire blowouts,

accidents, and serious injuries. Replace worn or damaged tires immediately.

Never exceed the maximum permissible speed and tire load speciﬁed for the tires ﬁtted to your vehicle.

The effectiveness of the driver assistance systems and the braking assistance systems depends on tire traction.

If there are unusual vibrations or if the vehicle pulls to one side while driving, stop immediately and check the wheels and tires for damage.

To reduce the risk of loss of vehicle control, accidents, and serious injuries, never loosen the bolts on rims with a bolted rim ring.

Do not use any wheels or tires if you do not know how they have been used in the past. Used wheels and tires may be damaged, even if this damage is

not visible, and could lead to tire damage, tire failure or loss of vehicle control.

Old tires can lose pressure suddenly at high speeds or fail and cause accidents and serious injuries. This is true even if the tires have not been used yet.

Only use tires that are more than six years old if absolutely necessary and drive with extreme caution if doing so.

WARNING

If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly or are missing, the wheels could become loose and lead to loss of vehicle control, accidents, and serious injuries.

Never drive with missing or loose wheel bolts.

Always use wheel bolts that are correct for the rim and the vehicle model.

Always tighten the wheel bolts to the correct tightening torque. If you do not have a torque wrench, tighten the wheel bolts with the lug wrench and then

have the tightening torque checked as soon as possible by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Volkswagen

recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

WARNING

Improper installation of the tires on the rim can cause tires to suddenly lose air or go ﬂat while driving and damage the rim. This can cause accidents and fatal

injuries.

Always have tires installed on the rim by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Volkswagen recommends

contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Taking care of wheels and tires

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Handling tires

Preventing damage to the tires

Always drive over curbs and other low obstacles slowly and at a right-angle so that both front wheels come into contact with the obstacle at the same time.

Check the tire pressure regularly.

Check tires regularly for damage, e.g. punctures.

Never exceed the load index and maximum speed of the tire ⇒ Tire labeling and tire classiﬁcations.

Have damaged or worn rims replaced immediately ⇒ Troubleshooting.

Protect tires from coming into contact with corrosive materials such as grease, oil, gasoline, and brake ﬂuid

Replace missing dust caps on the valves immediately.

⇒

Remove any objects provided they have not punctured the inside of the tire ⇒ Troubleshooting.

Pay attention to all warnings issued by the Tire Pressure Monitoring System ⇒ Troubleshooting the Tire Pressure Monitoring System .

WARNING

Corrosive ﬂuids and materials can cause visible and invisible damage to the tires, which can cause the tires to fail.

Always keep chemicals, oils, grease, fuel, brake ﬂuid, and other corrosive materials away from the tires.

Storing tires

Only store tires in a cool, dry location that is as dark as possible.

Do not stand tires that are mounted on rims up vertically.

Protect tires that are not mounted on rims from dirt with suitable covers and store them standing on the tread surface.

Tires that are more than six years old

Tires age due to physical and chemical processes that affect their function. Tires that have been stored and unused for long periods of time age more quickly than

tires that are used continuously.

Volkswagen recommends replacing tires that are more than six years old with new tires. This even applies to tires that may appear to be usable and whose tread

depth is still greater than the minimum requirement ⇒

Winter and all season tires lose their characteristics to a large extent due to aging, regardless of the remaining tread depth.

The age of the tire can be determined based on the production date ⇒ Tire labeling and tire classiﬁcations.

WARNING

Old tires can lose pressure suddenly at high speeds or fail and cause accidents and serious injuries. This is true even if the tires have not been used yet.

Only use tires that are more than six years old if absolutely necessary and drive with extreme caution if doing so.

New tires

Drive particularly carefully during the ﬁrst 370 mi (600 km) with new tires because they must be broken in. Tires that have not been broken in yet have reduced

gripping abilities and braking efﬁciency ⇒

Only use tires with the same design and as close to the same construction, size (rolling circumference) and tread pattern as possible on all four wheels.

The tread depth of new tires may vary between tire models and manufacturers due to different design features and tread designs.

WARNING

New tires must be broken in because they have reduced traction and braking efﬁciency when they are new.

To reduce the risk of accidents and serious injuries, drive carefully during the ﬁrst 370 miles (600 km).

The size specifications for new tires may vary significantly from the actual tire dimensions for different tire brands.

Replacing tires

At the factory, the vehicle can be equipped with reduced rolling resistance tires. The speciﬁed fuel consumption values can only be achieved using these tires.

When purchasing new tires, always make sure the tires are optimized for rolling resistance ⇒ Eco tips.

Before buying new reduced rolling resistance tires, seek advice from an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Volkswagen

recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

At a minimum, replace both tires on a single axle.

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Wheels and tires -> Taking care of wheels and tires for Your Volkswagen Atlas SUV First Generation (2018-2023)

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