Wheels and Tyres

Legal requirements state a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm for summer tyres — we recommend at least 3 mm. For winter tyres, the legal requirement is also 1.6 mm — we recommend at least 4 mm.

Tyre width, height-width ratio and rim diameter are listed on your vehicle's registration papers — these tell you the dimensions your Volkswagen's tyres need. If you have any questions, your Autohaus Namibia dealer will be happy to help.

Wheel/tyre combinations for Volkswagen are generally divided into Volkswagen Genuine Parts or Volkswagen Accessories — you can choose from both. When a Volkswagen is purchased or handed over, you are given the Certificate of Conformity (CoC), which lists all authorised wheel/tyre combinations for your model and engine — these are always Genuine Parts, since they are the only parts installed in your new vehicle. The range is expanded for a customised or retrofitted Volkswagen by Volkswagen Accessories wheels, where the specific general operating permit for that part is what matters, stating which vehicles the accessory or rim is authorised for.

As a vehicle manufacturer, Volkswagen applies for an operating licence for all passenger vehicles, and the CoC (Certificate of Conformity) is generated on the basis of that licence. It verifies that the vehicle conforms with its approved type, and contains detailed technical data — including the emissions class and all authorised wheel/tyre combinations for Genuine Parts (not Accessories wheels). The CoC has the same significance as your registration documents, so the original should not be kept in the vehicle.

A general operating permit can be issued for both entire vehicles and individual vehicle parts. You should always have the part-specific general operating permit with you when driving with that part fitted — it may be requested during a roadworthy check.

The CoC lists all combinations Volkswagen has verified as suitable for your vehicle during development, based on practical trials that meet Volkswagen's standards for driving behaviour, safety and comfort. Combinations not recommended by Volkswagen often require structural modifications that must first be checked and approved by an officially recognised testing institute, so the easiest way to avoid inconvenience is to stick to the combinations recommended in your CoC or part-specific operating permit.

Unlike a part-specific general operating permit, a technical report doesn't always grant permission to carry out a modification on its own — it generally states the vehicles and conditions the modification is approved for. Volkswagen holds the relevant technical report for the wheel/tyre combinations specified in the CoC. Most importantly, the report sets out how the part must be installed — without an approved report, the modification must be checked and signed off by an approved testing facility before it can be recorded on your vehicle's papers.

Your registration papers only list a selection of possible combinations for your vehicle — generally the minimum sizes. It isn't essential that one of these exact combinations is fitted: any combination listed under the vehicle's type approval can be used, as can any combination covered by a part-specific general operating permit for a named vehicle.

You can get another copy of both the CoC and a part-specific general operating permit — simply contact your Autohaus Namibia dealer. See Contact us for Windhoek and Swakopmund details.

If a wheel/tyre combination is fitted without a valid CoC entry, technical report, or general operating permit covering it, the vehicle's operating permit becomes invalid and it may no longer be driven — regardless of whether the change is noticeable while driving. An appointment must then be made with the relevant testing authority to have the modification officially inspected and accepted before the vehicle can be registered again with the change reflected on its papers.