2011 AUDI Q7 tire pressure

Tires and wheels Ill
----------------
holding, driving characteristics, and safety of the vehicle. The table
( =>
page 322) lists specifications of the tires approved for the Audi
models covered by your Owner's Literature .
Th e tire pressure label located on the driver's side B-pillar
=> page 322, fig. 242 lists the specifications of the original equ ip­
ment tires insta lled on your vehicle at the time it was manufactured.
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized infor­
mation on the sidewall of all tires=>
page 330, fig. 245. This infor­
mation identifies and describes the fundamenta l characteristics, the
quality grade of the tir e and also provides a tire ident ification number
for safety standard certification and in case of a reca ll.
Tire specifications
Knowledge of tire specifications makes it easier to choose the correct
tires . Radial tires have the tire spec ifications marked on the s idewall,
for example:
P255 / 55 R 18 109 H XL
This contains the following information:
P Indicates the tire is for passenger cars (where applicable)
255 Nominal tire width in mm of the tire from sidewall edge to side-
wall edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire
55 Height/width ratio in percent (aspect ratio)
R Tire construction: Rad ial
18 Rim d iameter code ( in inches)
109 Load rating code
H Speed rating letter code
XL (or "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" Indicates that the tire is a"Rein­
forced" or an "Extra Load" tire
M+S (or "M/5") Indicates that the t ire has some mud and snow capa­
bility
The tires could also have the info rmation of direction of rotation
=> page 318.
Safety first
Tire manufacturing date
The manufacturing date is a lso indicated on the tire sidewa ll
(poss ibly only on the
inner side of the wheel):
"DOT ... 2210 ... "means, for example, that the tire was produced in
t he 22nd week of 2010.
Speed rating (Letter code)
The speed rat ing letter code on the wheels ind icates the maximum
permissible road speeds =>
& in "Winter tires" on page 334.
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (158 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (1 70 km/h)
S up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph ( 190 km/h)
U up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
3>
Z over 149 mph (240 km/h)3>
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)3
)
Y up to 186 mph (298 km/h)3>
Your vehicle is normally factory equ ipped with t ires, which possess
excellent driving characte ristics and give yo ur Audi opt imum dr iv in g
comfort. An electronic speed limiter=>
page 30 will normally prevent
your vehicle from going faster than the tire speed rating
=> &.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) and tire
manufacture date
Th is is the tire's "ser ial number" . It begins w ith the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufactured, and
the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufacture .
For example, the numbers 2210 mean that the tire was produced in
~
3> F o r tires w ith a maximum speed capab ili ty over 149 mph (240 km/h), tire
manufact urers somet imes use the letters "ZR."
Vehicle care Technical data

-Tires and wheels PR:1-------------------
the 22nd week of 2010. The other numbers are marketing codes that
may or may not be use d b y the ti re manu facture r. T his in format ion is
used to contact consumers if a tire de fect requires a recall.
Audi Original tire
T ires with the ident ificat ion "AO" or "RO" have been specially
m atche d w ith your Audi. We recommend using on ly these t ire s
because t hey meet the hig hest standards regard ing safety a nd
dr iving charac teris tics when used corre ctly. Your aut horize d Aud i
dea ler w ill glad ly provide you wi th mor e informatio n.
Tire ply composition and materials used
T he number of p lies indicates the number of layers of rubber-coated
f abr ic in the tire. In ge ne ral, the greate r the numbe r of p lies, the
more weig ht a tire ca n support. Tire manufac turers also mus t indi­
c ate the materials in the t ire, which incl ude stee l, nylon, polyes ter,
and others .
Maximum Load Rating
This number ind icates the maximum load in k ilograms and pounds
t ha t can be carried by the tire .
Tire quality grading for treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temperat ure grades~ page 333.
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pressure
Th is number is the greatest amount o f air press ure t hat should eve r
be pu t in the tire under no rm al driv in g c ond ition s.
& WARNING
• Using incorrect or unmatched tires and/ or wheels or improper
tire and wheel combinations can lead to loss of control , collis ion
and seriou s personal injury.
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Always use tires, rims and wheel bolts that meet the specifica­
tions of original factory-installed tires or other combinations that have been specifically app roved by the vehicle manufacturer.
• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly,
especially at high speeds . Tires that a re more than 6 years old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at
lower speeds.
• Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old used tires may have been damaged
eventhoughthedamagecannotbeseenthatcanleadtosudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tires of the same
type , size (rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.
Driving with different tires reduces vehicle handling and can lead
to a loss of control.
• If the spare tire is not the same as the tires that are mounted
on the vehicle - for example with winter tires - only use the spare
tire for a short period of time and drive with extra care . Refit the
no rmal road wheel as soon as safely possible .
• Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the tires
on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than
their rated speed can fail suddenly .
• Ove rloading tire s cause heat build-up, sudden tire failure,
including a blowout and sudden deflation and loss of control.
• Temperature grades apply to tires that are properly inflated
and not over or underinflated.
• For technical rea sons it is not always possible to use wheels
from other vehicles- in some cases not even wheels from the same
vehicle model.
• If you install wheel trim discs on the veh icle wheels, make sure
that the air flow to the brakes is not blocked . Reduced airflow to
the brakes can them to overheat , increasing stopp ing distances
and causing a colli sion.
~

-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must al ways be tightened to the correct
torque .
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the factory installed rims. If
different r ims a re fitted, the cor rect wheel bolts with the r ig ht leng th
and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. Th is ensures that
w heels are fitted secure ly and that t he br ake system func tion s
correctly .
In certain circ umstances, you may not use whee l bolts from a
different veh icle -even if it is the same model~
page 370.
&_ WARNING
Improperly tightened or maintained wheel bolts can become
loose causing lo ss of control , a c ollision and seriou s personal
injury .
• Always keep the wheel bol ts and the thread s in the wheel hub s
clean so the wheel bolts can turn easily and be properly t ighten ed .
• Never gr ease or oil the wheel bolt s and the threads in the wh eel
hubs. They can become loose while driving if greased or oiled, even
if tightened to the specified torque.
• Only use wheel bolts that belong to the rim being installed.
• Never use different wheels bolts on your vehicle .
• Alway s maintain the correct tightening torque for the wheel
bolt s to reduce the risk of a whee l los s. If the tightening torque of
the wheel bolts is too low , they can loosen and come out when the
vehicle is moving . If the tightening torque i s too h igh, the wheel
bolts and threads can be damaged and the wheel can become
loose .
0 Note
The spe cifie d torq ue for the whee l bolts is 120 ft lb (160 Nm) wi th a
tolerance of ± 7,4 ft lb( ± 10 Nm). Torque whee l bolts diagona lly. After changing a wheel, the torq
ue m ust be checked as soo n as
possible wi th a t orqu e w rench -prefer ably by an auth o riz ed Audi
dealer or qualified workshop. •
Low aspect ratio tires
Your Audi is factory-equipped with low aspect ratio tires. These tires
h ave bee n thorou ghly teste d and been se lec ted spe cifically fo r yo ur
model for their superb performance, road feel and hand ling u nder a
var iety of dr iving con ditions . Ask your authorized A udi dea le r for
more deta ils.
The low aspect ratio of these t ires is ind icated by a n umera l of
55 or
le ss
in t he tire 's s ize designation . T he numera l rep resents the ratio o f
the tire's sidewall he ight in relat ion to its tread width exp ressed in
pe rcen tage . Co nven tional ti res have a heig ht/w idth r atio o f 60 o r
more.
The performance of low-aspect-ratio tires i s particularly sensitive to
improper inflation pressure. It is therefore important that low
aspect ratio tires are inflated to the specified pressure and that the
inflation pre ssure is regularly checked and maintained. Tire pre s­
sures should be checked at least once a month and always before a
long trip~
page 324, "Che cking t ire press ure".
What you can do to avoid tire and rim damage
Low aspe ct ratio tires ca n be damaged more eas ily by imp act wi th
potholes, curbs, gul lies or ridges on the road, part icu lar ly if the tire is
unde rinfl ated.
I n order to minimize the occu rrence of impact damage to the tires of
your vehicle, we recommend that yo u observe the follow ing p recau ­
tions:
• Always ma inta in recommen ded inflation p ressures. Check your
t ire press ure every 2,000 m iles (3,00 0 km) a nd a dd air i f ne cess ary.
• Drive ca ref ully on roads with potho les, dee p gullies or ridges. The
i m pact from d riving t hrough or over such obsta cles can damage you r
tires. Impact w it h a c urb may also cause damage to your tires . .,_

________________________________________________ T_i_re _ s_ a _ n_d_ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ ,n
• After any impact, immediately inspect your tires or have them
inspected by the nearest authorized Audi dealer. Replace a damaged
tire as soon as possible.
• Inspect your tires every 2,000 miles (3,000 km) for damage and
wear . Damage is not always easy to see . Damage can lead to loss of
air and underinflation, wh ich could eventually cause tire failure. If
you believe that a tire may have been damaged, replace the tire as
soon as possible.
• These tires may wear more quickly than others .
• Please also remember that, while these tires deliver responsive
handling, they may ride less comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold season
conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes. The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance tires originally installed on your vehicle are
intended for maximum dry and wet road performance and handling.
Th ey are not su itable for cold, snowy or icy weather conditions. If you
drive under those circumstances, you should equip your vehicle with
all -season or winter tires, which offer better traction under those
conditions. We suggest you use the recommended snow or all-season
tires specified for your vehicle, or their equiva lent.
Refer to~
page 334 for more detailed i nformat ion regard ing w inter
tires. •
Tire pressure monitoring system
General notes I)
Each tire, including the spare (if prov ided), should be checked
month ly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recom­
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inf lation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size ind icated o n the vehicle p lacard o r tire inflation pressure
Safety first
label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for
t hose tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a t ire
pressure monitoring system ( TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres ­
s ur e telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under­
inflated. According ly, when the low tire pressure te lltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a sign ificantly under- inflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Unde r­
inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper t ire ma inte­
nance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if unde r-inflation has not reached the level to trigge r
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been eq uipped with a TPMS mal function indi­
cator to indicate when the system is not operating properly . The
TPM S malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure
telltale . When the system detects a ma lfunct ion, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated . T his sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indica tor is illum inated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
ma lfunctions may occur fo r a variety of reasons, including the instal­
lat ion of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the veh icle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS
malfunction telltale after replac ing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle to ensure that the rep lacement or a lternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function properly .•
Vehicle care Technical data

___ T_ i_ r_e _s_ a_ n_ d _ w _h _e_e_ l_ s _______________________________________________ _
Tire pressure indicator appears
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument cluster
informs you if the ti re pressure is too low or if there is a
system malfunction.
Fig. 2 46 Disp la y:
u nd erinfl ation
warni ng
Fi g. 2 47 Dis play:
Syst em m alf un ction
Us ing the ABS sensors, the tire pressure monitoring system compares
t he t ire tread c ircumference and vibrat ion characte rist ics o f the indi ­
vidual tires. If the pressure decreases in one or more tires, this is indi­
cated in the ins trument cl uste r wi th a warning symbol
1 and a
message=> fig. 246 . The dr iver message in the display goes o ut after
5 seconds . T he driver message can be disp layed again by p ressing the
[ CHECK ] button. If only one t ire is affected , the display will ind icate
its position . The tire press
ure monitoring must be reset via MMI each time the
pressu res are adju sted (e.g. when sw itching between partial and full
load pressure) or after chang ing or replacing a t ire on your veh icle
=>
page 339. You can find the recommended tire pressures fo r your
vehicle on the label o n the dr iver's door pillar=>
page 322.
Ti re tread circumference and v ibration characterist ics can change and
c ause a tire p ress ure warning if:
• the tire pressure in one or more tires is too low,
• t he ti re has s tructur al damage,
• the t ire pressure was changed, wheels rotated or rep laced but the
T PM S w as no t rese t=>
page 339.
Warning symbols
' ' Loss of press ure in at least one tir e=> .&. Chec k the t ire or t ires
and rep lace or repair if necessary. The indicator light in the instru-
me nt cluster a lso illumina tes=>
page 14. C heck/co rrect t he p res­
sures of all four ti res and reset TPMS via MMI.
( T ire Pressure Monitor ing System)
Tire pre ssure! System
malfunction .
If appears afte r sw itch ing the ignition o n or while
dr iv ing =>
page 338, fig. 2 47 and the indicator ligh t in the ins tru­
me nt clus ter blinks for approx imately one minu te and then s tays on,
there is a system ma lfunction . See your a uthorized Audi dealer as
soon as poss ible.
& WARNING
• If the tire pressure indicator appear s in the instrument cluster
display, one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Reduce your speed imm ediately and avoid any hard steering or
brak ing maneuvers . Stop as soon as possible and check the tires
and their pres sures. Inflate the tire pre ssure to the proper pres­
s u re as indicated on the vehicle 's tire pressure label=>
page 322.
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire cau ses the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure . Under-inflat ion also is l ikely
to impair the vehicle 's handling and stopping ability .
~

________________________________________________ T_i_re _ s_ a _ n_d_ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• The driver is responsible for maintaining the correct tire pres­
sure s. You must check the tire pressures regularly.
• Under certain conditions (such as a sport y driving style , winter
cond ition s or unpaved roads) , the pre ssure monitor indicator may
be delayed.
• Ask your authorized Audi dealer if run-flat t ires may be used on
your vehicle. Your vehicle registration becomes invalid if you use
the se tires when not permitted. Damage to your vehicle or acci­
dents could al so result.
[ i ] Tips
• Th e tire pressure monito ring system stops wo rking when there is
an ESP/ABS ma lf u nct ion.
• Using snow cha ins may res ult in a sys tem malfunction.
• The tire press ure mon itor ing system on your Audi was calibrated
u sing t ires wi th the "AO" or "RO" identifi cat ion . W e recommend
using these tires. •
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
If the tire pres sur e is adjuste d, wheels ore ro tated o r
change d, th e TP MS mus t be rese t via MMI .
- Tur n on th e ig nit ion.
- Select : Func tion button [C AR]> Systems* > Tire pressure
monitoring > Store now .
[I) Tips
Before resetti ng the T PMS, the curr ent pr essures of all fo ur tires
must co rrespond to the specif ied values. Adjust the tire pressure and
Safety first
reset the pressure in the t ire p ressure mo nitoring system acco rd in g
t o the loa d you are carry ing ::::>
page 322. •
Vehicle care Technical data

lffll.,___W_ h_ a_t _ d_ o_ I_d_ o_ n_o _w_ ? ___________________________________________ _
Inflatable spare tire
The inflatable spare tire expands to its full diameter
when it is infl ated.
Removing inflatable spare tire
Fig. 252 I nfl ata ble
sp are tir e wi th
c ompr essor
- Lift up the cargo floor using the handle.
- Turn the large screw=> fig. 252 counter -clockwise .
- Remove the bass box as required==>
page 341.
Take out the in flatab le spare tire .
Stowing the inflatable spare tire
- Release the air by unscrewing the valve stem .
- Screw the valve stem back in afterwards.
- Wa it a few hou rs before placing the w hee l in the spare
wheel well=>
&-
- Install the bass box as required=> page 341.
- Secure the whee l with the large screw .
- Fold the cargo floor bac k down .
After using the inflatable spare wheel
The inflatable spare t ire can be re -used as long as it is not damaged
and is not worn down to the tread wear indica tors=>
& -
When you let the air out of the inflatab le spare tire, it does not
assume its folded shape again for severa l hours. Until then, it cannot
be placed back in t he spare wheel well and stowed secure ly.
& WARNING
• Never use the spare tire if it is d amaged or if it is worn down to
the tread wear indicators.
• If the infl atable spare tire is more than 6 years old , use it only
in an emergency and with extreme caution and careful driving.
• The inflatable spa re tire is intended only for temporary and
short-term use. It should be replaced a s soon as possible with the
n o rmal wheel and tire .
• The tire pressure value for the inflatable spare t ire is located on
the dri ver' s s ide B-pillar
=> page 322, fig. 242.
• Ma ximum permiss ible speed is SO mph (80 km /h ).
• Avo id full-throttle a cceleration, heavy braking, and fast
corne ring .
• When the air is let out of the inflatable spare wheel, it d oes not
assume its folded shape for se veral hours . Until then , it cannot be
pla ced back in the spare wheel w ell and stowed securel y.
• Never drive with more than one inflatable spare tire.
• For technical re asons , the use of tir e chains on the inflatabl e
spare tire i s not permitted. If it i s necessary to dri ve with tire
c ha in s, the inflatabl e spare whe el must be mounted on the front
axle in the event of a flat in a rea r tire. The newly a vailable front
whee l mu st then be installed in place of the re ar wheel with the
flat tire. Ins talling the tire chain before mounting the wheel and
tir e is recomm ended.
• Loo se items in the passenger compartment can cause serious
per sonal injury during hard braking or in an accident . .,,.

_____________________________________________ W __ h_a_ t_ d_o_ I_ d_o _ n_ o_ w _ ? __ _
& WARNING (continued)
-Never store the inflatable spare tire or jack and tools in the
passenger compartment.
- Always store all jacking equipment, tools, and the inflatable
spare tire in the luggage compartment.
- Tighten the knurled retaining screw for the inflatable spare
tire securely.
0 Note
• The inflatable spare tire has been developed specifically for this
vehicle model. It must not be exchanged or used for other vehicle
models . Similarly, inflatable tires from other vehicle models must
not be used.
• Normal summer or winter tires must not be installed on the inflat­
able tire rim. •
Inflating inflatable spare tire
-Remove the compressor from the luggage compartment
~ page 342, fig. 252.
- Unscrew the valve stem from the spare tire.
- Screw the tire filler hose from the compressor firmly onto
the valve of the spare tire.
- Insert the plug from the compressor into a socket of the
vehicle ~
page 106.
- Switch the compressor on .
- Let the compressor run until the value specified on the tire
pressure label is reached=>
page 322, fig. 242. Switch the
compressor off after running for 12 minutes at the most -
danger of overheating!
Safety first
& WARNING
The compressor and the tire filler hose can become extremely hot
while they are running · danger of burns!
0 Note
Switch the compressor off after running for 12 minutes at the most­
danger of overheating! Allow the compressor to cool down for a few
minutes before you use it again.
[ i] Tips
The compressor must not be connected to the cigarette lighter
socket, as this socket does not provide the required power.•
Changing a wheel
Before changing a wheel
Observe the following precautions for your own and your
passenger's safety when changing a wheel.
- After you experience a tire failure, pull the car well away
from moving traffic and try to reach
level ground before
you stop => & .
- All passengers should
leave the car and move to a safe
location (for instance, behind the guardrail)=> &.
- Engage the
parking brake to prevent your vehicle from
rolling unintentionally~ &.
- Move
selector lever to position P ~ & .
- If you are tow ing a trailer: unhitch the trailer from your
vehicle. ..,_
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data