VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006 (01) PDF Document

Conversions of wheels and tyres on your VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006 can only be carried out under certain conditions:

Legislative Conditions:

• If the wheel and tyre size, including the load index and speed symbol, is listed in the vehicle’s General Type Approval (GTA) and EU operating permit/type approval, it can be fitted without any problem.

• It is not necessary for the wheel and tyre combination specified in the registration certificate to be fitted. All combinations approved in the vehicle’s GTA or EU operating permit/type approval may be fitted.

• For conversions recommended by VOLKSWAGEN AG, there are no general operating permits in accordance with § 22 StVZO (German road traffic and licensing regulations).

• If the wheels and/or tyres are not included in the relevant vehicle GTA or EU operating permit/type approval, the vehicle will no longer meet the requirements of road traffic regulations if converted.

Technical Conditions:

• The wheel and tyre combinations and conversions listed in the vehicle tables refer exclusively to Volkswagen genuine disc-type wheels.

• Approval of wheel and tyre combinations or changes to wheels from the accessories trade is not possible with the certificate statement in the PDF.

• Tubeless radial tyres may only be fitted to rims with a safety hump feature on the shoulder.

• Tyres with run-flat properties (reinforced side walls) may only be used on disc-type wheels with an extended hump and on vehicles with a tyre pressure monitoring system.

• When using listed wheel and tyre combinations, you must adhere to the associated tyre inflation pressures. These can be found on the sticker inside the tank flap or in the vehicle’s tables.

• Sufficient clearance to the wheels and tyres at parts of the wheel housing, suspension, and braking system is assured if the notes and specifications are observed in all operating conditions.

• Unless otherwise stated, snow chains may only be fitted to the drive wheels. On all-wheel drive vehicles, only the front wheels may be fitted with snow chains, with the exception of the Touareg.

The sidewall of a tyre contains a lot of useful information. Here is a breakdown of the typical markings:

1. Size code: e.g., 205/55 R 16.

2. Position of TWIs: Tread Wear Indicators.

3. Manufacturer (trade name): e.g., Continental.

4. Construction: “Radial” for radial cord direction and “Tubeless” for tubeless tyres.

5. Load capacity index / speed rating: e.g., 91 H.

6. Specified direction of rotation/installation for tyre.

7. Maximum permissible load: Data for North America.

8. Maximum permissible tyre pressure: Data for North America.

9. Number of plies: Information on plies in the tread and sidewalls, and material information.

10. E number: Approval number, indicating the tyre fulfils European guidelines.

11. Manufacturer code / date of manufacture (DOT): Identification for plant, tyre size, model, and tyre age.

12. DOT – Department of Transportation: Tyre fulfils standards of the US Department of Transportation.

13. Marking for Brazil.

14. Marking for China.

15. Country of origin: e.g., Made in Germany.

16. Safety notes for use or fitting of tyre.

17. Relative expected service life – abrasion resistance: Based on a US standard test.

18. Rating of wet-braking traction: A, B or C, according to a US test.

19. Rating of temperature resistance: A, B or C, according to a US test.

20. Identifying tyres with run-flat properties: e.g., self-supporting run-flat.

21. Tread pattern: e.g., ContiPremiumContact.

The tyre dimension codes provide specific details about the tyre. For example, in 195/65 R 15 91 V:

• 195: Tyre width in mm.

• 65: Aspect ratio in % (height to width).

• R: Code for tyre construction, “R” indicates radial.

• 15: Rim diameter designation in inches.

• 91: Load rating code/load index (LI).

• V: Speed rating code.

A winter or all-season tyre may also have “M + S” marking.

The speed rating code indicates the maximum speed the tyre can sustain:

Speed rating code	Maximum speed in km/h
L	120
M	130
N	140
P	150
Q	160
R	170
S	180
T	190
U	200
H	210
V	240
ZR	above 240
W	270
Y	300

The load rating code on your VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006’s tyres indicates the maximum load each tyre can bear. The following table shows the maximum load in kg for common load rating codes:

Load rating code	Maximum load of tyre in kg
75	387
78	425
79	437
80	450
81	462
82	475
83	487
84	500
85	515
86	530
87	545
88	560
89	580
90	600
91	615
92	630
93	650
94	670
95	690
96	710
97	730
98	750
99	775
100	800
101	825
102	850
103	875
104	900
110	1060
112	1120

Tyre Storage

Proper storage is essential to maintain the quality of your tyres. The storage room conditions should be:

• dark

• dry

• cool

• ventilated

WARNING: Stored tyres must not come in contact with fuel, oil, grease, or chemicals under any circumstances, as this can damage the tyre material in ways that are not always visible, leading to dangerous situations when driving.

• Complete wheels (tyres on rims): Store them flat, stacked one upon the other. Ensure they are clean and dry, and increase the inflation pressure to a maximum of 3 bar.

• Tyres without wheels: Store them standing vertically. It is recommended to turn them every 14 days to avoid flat spots.

Tyre Ageing

• Tyres age due to physical and chemical processes. It is recommended not to use summer and winter tyres which are older than 6 years, as their properties, especially wet grip and winter adhesion, deteriorate.

• Even visually flawless, new, or barely used tyres older than six years may show a significant reduction in performance.

• You can determine the tyre’s age from the DOT designation on the sidewall, which indicates the production week and year.

• Example of a DOT number to 31.12.1999: DOT ….. 5 0 9 < means the 50th week of 1999.

• Example of a DOT number from 01.01.2000: DOT ….. 0 1 0 0 means the 1st week of 2000.

• A spare tyre may be used if it is in flawless condition and not more than 6 years old, but be aware that combining an older spare with new tyres can adversely affect car handling.

Several factors influence the service life of your tyres:

Driving style:

• Speed: Higher speeds cause more wheel slip and significantly increased wear. For example, driving at 180 km/h can cause 9 times more wear than driving at 100 km/h.

• Braking: Most wear is caused during braking. Heavy braking causes exponentially more wear than gentle braking.

• Acceleration: Driving off with spinning wheels can cause 100 to 200 times more wear than driving off gently.

• Cornering: A “sporty” driving style and higher speeds in corners cause greater wear. Doubling the cornering speed can increase wear 16-fold.

Tyre maintenance:

• Tyre pressure: Incorrect tyre pressure is a major cause of increased wear and reduced tyre life. An underinflated tyre flexes more, leading to heat buildup and faster wear. A pressure of 1.0 bar instead of the specified 2.3 bar can reduce tyre life by 75%.

Environment:

• Road surface

• Ambient temperature and climate

Vehicle:

• Weight

• Dynamic toe and camber settings (wheel alignment)

Rough running can have several causes, often related to tyre wear and balance. To ensure optimal safety, smooth running, and even wear, it is recommended to have your wheels and tyres balanced at least twice during their service life.

Before balancing the wheels, check the following:

• The tyre pressure is correct.

• The tyre tread does not show one-sided wear and is at least 4 mm deep.

• The tyre has no signs of damage (cuts, piercing, foreign bodies, etc.).

• The wheel suspension, steering, and shock absorbers are in perfect condition.

• You have conducted a road test.

Conducting a Road Test:

Before balancing, a road test is essential to identify the nature of the vibration and the speed range in which it occurs. After the road test, immediately raise the vehicle and mark the tyre positions (e.g., FL for front left, FR for front right, etc.).

Balancing on a Stationary Machine:

1. Ensure the wheel’s contact surfaces, centre, and inner recess are clean. Dirt and rust can distort the result.

2. Clamp the wheel onto the balancing machine using a proper centring system (e.g., VAS 5271) to ensure it is 100% centred.

3. Check for radial and lateral runout. If the runout is within the specified tolerance, balance the wheel and tyre.

4. No more than 60 grams of weight per tyre should be used. If more is required, “matching” the tyre and rim may be necessary.

5. Balance until the display shows 0 grams.

Checking Radial and Lateral Runout:

Tolerances for a VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006 wheel with a mounted tyre are:

• Radial runout: 0.9 mm

• Lateral runout: 1.1 mm (1.3 mm in the vicinity of lettering)

If the runout is too great, you can try to reduce it by “match mounting” the tyre, which involves rotating the tyre on the rim to find a position where the high points of the tyre and rim cancel each other out.

If your vehicle pulls to one side, it can be caused by the running gear, but experience shows that in 90% of cases, the tyres are the cause due to a characteristic called “conicity.” Conicity is a slight offset of the tread/belt relative to the tyre’s centre, creating a lateral force that causes self-steering.

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Perform a road test on a level, straight road without a crosswind to confirm the vehicle pulls to one side and which side it pulls to.

2. Initial Checks:

• Check all suspension components for damage.

• Check and correct tyre pressure.

• Check tyres for external damage, even wear, and correct tread depth. Tyres with deeper tread should be on the front axle.

• Ensure all tyres are of the same type, manufacture, and tread pattern.

3. Strategic Wheel Rotation (for non-directional tyres):

• Step 1: Interchange the front wheels. Perform a road test.

• If the vehicle now pulls to the other side: The problem is one of the front tyres. Proceed to interchange the front and rear wheels to isolate the faulty tyre.

• If the vehicle still pulls to the same side: The problem is likely in the rear tyres or wheel alignment. Proceed to interchange the front and rear tyres.

• If the vehicle now travels in a straight line: The problem is solved. END.

Follow the detailed diagnostic flow chart in the PDF for a complete step-by-step procedure involving interchanging front/rear wheels and reversing a tyre on its rim to balance out the conicity forces.

For directional tyres, the process is similar but involves interchanging front and back wheels on the same side first. Reversing a tyre on the rim is only done if necessary to correct pronounced saw-tooth wear on the outer edges.

Properly fitting and removing wheels is crucial for safety. Follow these instructions:

Preparation:

• Check to ensure that contact surfaces on the brake disc, inner side of the wheel (rim), and the centring seat of the brake disc are free of corrosion and dirt.

• The concave seats in the wheel bolt holes and the threads of the wheel bolts must also be free of corrosion, dirt, oil, or grease.

• Check that the wheel bolts can be easily screwed in by hand. The thread must not contact the bore in the brake disc.

WARNING: Damaged, badly corroded, or difficult-to-remove wheel bolts must be renewed.

Fitting Wheels:

1. When fitting the wheel, screw in all wheel bolts uniformly by hand.

2. Tighten the wheel bolts in a diagonal sequence to approximately 30 Nm.

3. Lower the vehicle to the floor and tighten all wheel bolts diagonally to the specified torque using a torque wrench. Refer to the manual for the specified torque for your VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006.

WARNING: Do not use an impact driver when screwing in the bolts!

Rotating Wheels:

To ensure even wear across all four tyres, it is recommended to rotate the wheels at short intervals, for example, every 5,000 km. For non-directional tyres, a diagonal rotation is especially advantageous to combat saw-tooth wear.

The following tables show the approved standard and modification wheel and tyre combinations for the VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006, model year 2006 to 2008.

Type Approval No.: e1*2001/116*0307*00 to e1*2001/116*0307*09

Model engine output	Tyres	Tyre size	Wheel rim	Off-set in mm	Snow chains
1.6l 75 kW; 1.6l 85 kW petrol engines; 1.9l 77 kW TDI; 2.0l 88 kW TDI; 2.0l 90 kW TDI diesel engines	Standard tyres	205/55 R 16 91H	6 1/2 J x 16	42	Yes
	Modification	215/55 R 16 93H	6 1/2 J x 16	42	No
		205/55 R 16 91H	7 J x 16	45	No
		215/55 R 16 93H	7 J x 16	45	No
		235/45 R 17 94V	7 1/2 J x 17	47	No
		235/40 R 18 95Y*	8 J x 18	44	No
		* 235/40 R 18 95 Y tyres on 8 J x 18 rims with an offset of 44 are only permitted if the specified conditions are fulfilled. 235/40 R 18 95W tyres may be used instead of 235/40 R 18 95Y tyres with an offset of 44. Observe authorisation by Kraftfahrt-Bundesamtes.
	Winter tyres	205/55 R 16 91H/V	6 1/2 J x 16	42	Yes
		205/50 R 17 93H/V	6 J x 17	45	Yes

Note: This is a partial list. For a complete list of approved combinations for all engine types and model years, please refer to the specific vehicle tables in the PDF.

The following are the recommended makes and tread patterns of summer tyres for the VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006. These tyres meet the vehicle’s specific requirements for road safety and performance.

Tyre size	Make	Tread pattern	Remarks
205/55 R 16 91H	Goodyear	Excellence	Rolling resistance optimised tyres
	Michelin	Energy Saver
	Dunlop	SP Sport Fast Response
	Michelin	Primacy
	Dunlop	SP Sport 01A
	Goodyear	NCT -6
	Bridgestone	ER 300
	Continental	Premium Contact2
205/55 R 16 94V Extra Load	Michelin	Primacy
	Michelin	Energy Saver
	Goodyear	Excellence
	Continental	Sport Contact 2
	Bridgestone	ER 300
215/55 R 16 97V	Bridgestone	ER 300 RFT	Tyres with run-flat properties
215/55 R 16 97W	Michelin	Primacy
	Dunlop	SP Sport 01A
	Dunlop	SP Fast Response
	Bridgestone	ER 300
	Continental	Premium Contact
	Continental	Premium Contact 2
	Goodyear	Excellence
235/45 R 17 94W	Continental	Sport Contact 3	Self-sealing tyres „ContiSeal“
235/45 R 17 97W	Pirelli	P Zero Rosso
	Continental	Sport Contact 2
	Dunlop	SP Sport 1
	Bridgestone	RE 050A
235/40 R 18 95W	Continental	Sport Contact 3	Self-sealing tyres „ContiSeal“
235/40 R 18 95Y	Pirelli	P Zero Rosso
	Continental	Sport Contact 2
	Michelin	Pilot Sport 2
	Dunlop	SP Sport 1

The following are the recommended makes and tread patterns of winter tyres for the VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VARIANT 2006. Using these tyres is recommended for optimal safety and performance in winter conditions.

Tyre size	Make	Tread pattern	Remarks
195/65 R 15 91Q	Michelin	X-Ice	• Only for Japan: 1.6l FSI and 2.0l FSI engines
205/55 R 16 91H	Dunlop	Winter Sport 3D
	Pirelli	Winter 210
	Goodyear	Eagle UG GW3
205/55 R 16 94H	Dunlop	Winter Sport 3D
	Pirelli	Winter 210
	Nokian	WR G2
	Dunlop	Winter Sport M3 DSST		Tyres with run-flat properties
205/50 R 17 93H	Dunlop	Winter Sport 3D
	Continental	TS810		Self-sealing tyres „ContiSeal“
215/55 R 16 97Q XL	Michelin	X-Ice	• Only for Japan: 2.0l FSI and 2.0l FSI turbo engines
235/45 R 17 94Q	Michelin	X-Ice	• Only for Japan: 2.0l FSI turbo engines and 3.2l V6 FSI 4Motion
235/45 R 17 94H	Dunlop	Winter Sport M3