2012 AUDI Q7 change wheel

TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure tellta le . When the sys·
tern detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This se·
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction ex ists .
When the malfunc tion indicator is illuminat·
ed, the system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunct ions may occur for a variety of rea·
sons, including the installation of replace·
mentor alternate tires or wheels on the vehi·
cle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the re­
p lacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Tire pressure indicator appears
The tire pressure indicator in the instrument
cluster informs you if the tire pressure is too
low or if there is a system malfunction.
-
- -..,
;g
Fig. 242 Display: underinflat io n warning
Fig. 243 Display: Syste m ma lfunct io n
Using the ABS sensors , the tire pressure moni·
toring system compares the tire tread circum·
Tires and wheels 293
ference and vibration characteristics of the in­
dividual tires. If the pressure decreases in one
or more tires, this is indicated in the instru­
ment cluster with a warning symbol
[I] and a
message
c;, fig. 242 . The driver message in the
display goes out after S seconds . The driver
message can be displayed again by pressing
the
ICHECKI button . If only one tire is affect·
ed, the disp lay wi ll indicate its posit ion.
The tire pressure monitoring must be reset via
MMI each time the pressures are adjusted (e.
g. when switching between part ial and fu ll
load pressu re) o r after changing or replacing a
tire on your vehicle
c;, page 294. You can find
the recommended tire pressures for your vehi ·
cle on the label on the driver's door pillar
c;,page 278.
Tire tread circumference and vibration charac·
teristics can change and cause a tire pressure
warning if:
- the tire pressure in one or more tires is too
low,
- the tir e has structural damage ,
- the tir e pressure was changed, wheels rotat-
ed or replaced but the TPMS was not reset
c;,page294 .
Warning symbols
[I] loss of pressure in at least one tire c;, .&, .
Check the tire or tires and replace or repair if
necessary . The indicator light
[I] in the instru·
ment cluster also illum inates
c;, page 14.
Check/correct the pressures of all four tires
and reset TPMS via MMI.
IIQ§S, (Tir e Pressure Monitoring System) Tire
pressure! System malfunction . If llQ§f:1 ap·
pears after switching the ignition on or while
driv ing
c;, fig. 243 and the indicator light [I] in
the instr ument cluster blinks for approxi­
mately one minute and then stays on, there is
a system malfunction . See your authorized
Audi dealer as soon as possible.

29 4 T ire s and wheel s
,8. WARNING
-If the t ire pressure indicator appears in
the instrument cluster display, one or
more of your tires is s ignificantly under­
inflated. Reduce your speed immediately
and avoid any hard steering or bra king
maneuvers. Stop as soon as possible and
check the tires and their pressures. In­
flate the tire pressure to the proper pres­ sure as indicated on the vehicle 's tire
pressure label
c> page 2 78. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also is likely to impair the vehicle's handling and stop­
ping ab ility.
- The driver is responsible for ma inta ining
the correct tire pressures. You must check the t ire pressures regularly.
- Under certain cond itions (such as a spor­
ty driving style, winter condit ions or un­
paved roads), the pressure mon itor ind i­
cator may be de layed.
- Ask your author ized Audi dealer if run­
flat tires may be used on your veh icle.
Your vehicle registrat ion becomes inval id
if you use these tires when not permit ­
ted. Damage to your vehicle or accidents
cou ld also resu lt.
(D Tips
- The tire pressure monitoring system
stops working when there is an ESC/ABS
malfunction.
- Using snow chains may result in a system
malfunction.
- The tire pressure monitoring system on
you r A udi was ca lib rated using tires with
the "AO" or "RO" identification. We rec­
ommend using these tires .
Reset tire pressure monitoring system
If the tire pressure is adjusted, wheels are ro­
tated or changed, the TPMS must be reset via
MMI .
.. Turn on the ignition. ..
Select: Function b utton
I CAR !> Control but ­
ton
S ys tem s* > Tire p re ss ure mo nitoring >
Sto re no w. Or
.. Select: Function button
I CAR !> Control but­
ton
Ca r systems * > Servi cing & checks >
Tire pre ss ure mon itoring > Stor e tire pr es­
s ure s.
(D Tips
Before resetting the TPMS, the current
pressures of all four tires must correspond
to the specified values. Adjust the tire pressure and reset the pressure in the t ire
pressure monitoring system acco rding to
the load you are car ry ing
.:>page 278.

2 96 What do I do now ?
plate. If this happens, the vehicle may
start to move while a wheel is being changed.
- Never use the folding chocks if they are
damaged or if they have not been assem­
bled correctly.
A WARNING
Improper use of the vehicle jack can cause
ser ious persona l injuries.
- Never use the jack supplied with your Au­
di on anothe r vehicle, pa rticularly on a
heavier one. The jack is only suitable for
use on the vehicle it came w ith.
- Us ing a bumper jack to raise the vehicle
will damage the bump er system. The
jack may slip, causing in jury.
- Never support your veh icle on cinder
blocks, b ricks or other objec ts. These
may no t be ab le to suppor t the load and
c ou ld cau se injury whe n they fail.
- Never start o r run the engine while the
vehicle is supported by the j ack.
- If you must wo rk under the vehicle, al­
ways use safety stands specifically de­
signed for this purpose.
- Always make su re the inf latable spare
ti re and even a flat tire a re se cu red in
pla ce and not loose, otherwise t hey
c ou ld f ly forward, causing personal in jury
to passengers in the veh icle in an acc i­
dent o r sudden mane uver.
Removing bass box
Applies to vehicles: with bass box
Before the inflatable spare tire can be taken
out, the bass box must be removed .
Fig. 247 Spare wheel well: Bass box
Removing bass box
" Squee ze the locking tabs ¢ fig. 247 (!) of
the connector .
" Disconnect the connector @and place the
lead to one side.
" Turn t he large screw counter-clockwise.
" Carefully
remove the bass box.
Installing bass bo x
" Carefully place the bass box in the wheel.
The insc ription " FRO NT" on the bass box
m ust face forward .
" Reconnect the connector that was removed.
" Secure the bass box with t he large screw.
· Inflatable spare tire
The inflatable spare tire expands to its full di­
ameter when it is inflated.
Fi g. 2 48 In flatable spare t ire w ith compressor
Removing inflatable spare tire
" Lift up the cargo floor us ing the handle .
" Tu rn the large screw¢
fig. 248 co unter-
clockwise.
" Remove the bass box as required
¢page 296.
" Take out the inflatable spare tire .
" Always sto re the vehicle tool kit, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
partment
¢page 166.
Stowing the inflatable spar e tire
" Release the air by unscrewing the valve
stem.
" Screw the
valve stem back in afterwards .
" Wait a few hours befo re p lacing the wheel
in the spare whee l we ll
r=:, _.&.
" Install the bass box as required r=:, page 296 . ..,.

• Secure the wheel with the large screw.
• Fold the cargo floor back down.
After using the inflatable spare wheel
The inflatable spare tire can be re-used as
long as it is not damaged and is not worn
down to the tread wear indicators~.&. .
When you let the air out of the inflatable
spare tire, it does not assume its folded shape
again for several hours. Until then, it cannot
be placed back in the spare wheel well and
stowed securely.
A WARNING
- Never use the spare tire if it is damaged
or if it is worn down to the tread wear in­
dicators.
- If the inflatable spare tire is more than 6
years old, use it only in an emergency
and with extreme caution and careful
driving .
- The inflatable spare tire is intended only
for temporary and short-term use .
It
should be replaced as soon as possible
with the normal wheel and tire.
- The tire pressure value for the inflatable
spare tire is located on the driver's side
8-pillar
~ page 2 78, fig . 238.
-Maximum permissible speed is 50 mph
(80 km/h).
- Avoid full-throttle acceleration, heavy
braking, and fast cornering.
- When the air is let out of the inflatable
spare wheel, it does not assume its fold­
ed shape for several hours . Until then, it
cannot be placed back in the spare wheel
well and stowed securely.
- Never drive with more than one inflata­
ble spare tire.
- For technical reasons, the use of tire
chains on the inflatable spare tire is not
permitted. If it is necessary to drive with
tire chains, the inflatable spare wheel
must be mounted on the front axle in the
event of a flat in a rear tire. The newly
available front wheel must then be in­
stalled in place of the rear wheel with
What do I do now? 297
the flat tire. Installing the tire chain be­
fore mounting the wheel and tire is rec­
ommended.
- Loose items in the passenger compart­
ment can cause serious personal injury
during hard braking or in an accident.
Never store the inflatable spare tire or
jack and tools in the passenger compart­
ment.
(D Note
- The inflatable spare tire has been devel­
oped specifically for this vehicle model.
It must not be exchanged or used for
other vehicle models. Similarly, inflata­
ble tires from other vehicle models must
not be used.
- Normal summer or winter tires must not
be installed on the inflatable tire rim.
Inflating inflatable spare tire
• Remove the compressor from the luggage
compartment
~ page 296, fig. 248.
• Unscrew the valve stem from the spare tire.
• Screw the tire filler hose from the compres­
sor firmly onto the valve of the spare tire.
• Insert the plug from the compressor into a
socket of the vehicle
~ page 87 .
• Switch the compressor on.
• Let the compressor run until the value
specified on the tire pressure label is
reached
~ page 2 78, fig. 238. Switch the
compressor off after running for 12 minutes
at the most -danger of overheating!
A WARNING
-
The compressor and the tire filler hose can
become extremely hot while they are run­
ning -danger of burns!
(D 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 .
•
•

2 98 What do I do now?
The compressor must not be connected to
the c igarette 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 chang­
ing 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 r::::> /.1. .
• All passengers should leave the car and
move to a safe location (for instance, behind
the guardrai l)
r::::> /.1. .
• Engage th e parking brake to prevent your
vehicle from rolling unintentionally
r::::> /.1. .
• Move selector lever to position P r::::> /.1..
• If you are towing a trailer: unhitch the trail­
er from your vehicle .
• Block the diagonally opposite wheel with
the fo ld ing chocks or other objects .
• Take the
jack and the inflatable spare tire
out of the luggage compartment
r::::>page 295.
& WARNING
You or your passengers cou ld be injured
while changing a whee l if yo u do not fol­
low these safety precautions :
- If you have a flat tire, move a safe dis ­
tance
off the road. Turn off the engine,
turn the emergency flashers on and use other warning devices to alert other mo­
torists .
- Make sure that passengers wait in a safe
place away from the vehicle and well
away from the road and traff ic .
- To help prevent the vehicle from moving
suddenly and possibly slipping off the
jack, always fully set the parking brake
and block the whee l diagonally opposite
the whee l being changed with the fold­
ing chocks or other objects. When one front wheel is lifted
off the ground, plac­
ing the Automatic Transmission in "P"
(Park) will
not prevent the vehicle from
moving .
- Before you change a wheel, be sure the
ground is level and firm. If necessary,
use a sturdy board under the jack.
- After installing the inflatable spare tire,
make sure that you replace the flat tire/
wheel in its storage area properly and
tighten the knurled retaining screw se­
curely.
Changing a wheel
When you change a wheel , follow these ­
quence described below step-by-step and in
exactly that order.
1. Activate the vehicle jack mode (only vehi­
cles w ith Adaptive Air Suspens ion)
r::::> page 154.
2. Remove the decorative wheel cover*. For
more details see also
r::::> page 299, Deco­
rative wheel covers or r::::> page 299,
Wheels with wheel bolt caps.
3. Loosen the wheel bolts r::::>page 299 .
4. Locate the proper mounting point for the jack and align the jack below that point
r::::>page 300.
S. Lift the car with the jack r::::> page 300.
6. Remove the wheel with the flat tire and
then insta ll the
inflatable spare tire
r::::>page 301.
7. Tighten all wheel bolts lightly.
8.
Lower the vehicle with the jack.
9. Use the wheel bolt wrench and
firmly
tighten all wheel bolts r::::> page 299.
10. Rep lace the decorative wheel cover*.
11. De activate the vehicle jack mode (only ve­
hicles wi th Adaptive Air Suspension)
r::::> page 154.
& WARNING
Always read and follow all WARNINGS and
in format ion
c:::> &. in Raising the vehicle on
page 301
and c:::> page 302.

After changing a wheel
A wheel change is not complete without the doing the following .
• Always store the vehicle tool kit, the jack
and the replaced tire in the luggage com­
partment
Q page 166.
• As soon as possible, have the tightening
torques
on all wheel bolts checked with a
torque wrench . The correct tightening tor­
que is 120
ft lb (160 Nm).
• Have the flat tire
replaced as soon as possi­
ble.
(D Tips
- If you notice that the wheel bolts are
corroded and difficult to turn while
changing a tire, they should be replaced
before you check the tighten ing torque.
- Drive at reduced speed until you have the
tightening torq ues checked .
Decorative wheel covers
Applies to vehicles: with decorative wheel cove rs
The decorative wheel covers must be removed
first to access the wheel bolts.
Fig . 249 Ch ang ing a whee l: Removing the wheel cove r
Removing
• Insert the hook provided with the veh icle
tool kit in the hole in the hub.
• Pull off the
decorative wheel cover
Qfig . 249.
What do I do now? 299
Wheels with wheel bolt caps
Applies to vehicles: with wheel bolts with caps
The cops must be removed first from the
wheel bolts before the bolts can be un­
screwed .
Fig. 250 Chang ing a whee l: removing the wheel bo lt
caps
Removing
• Push the plastic clip provided with the veh i­
cle tool kit over the wheel bolt cap until it
engages .
• Pull on the
plastic clip to remove the cap
Qfig. 250.
Refitting
• Place the caps over the wheel bolts and
push them back on.
The caps are to protect and keep the wheel bolts clean.
Loosening and tightening the wheel
bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before rais­
ing the vehicle.
Fig. 251 C ha ng in g a wheel : loosen ing t he whee l bol ts ...

300 What do I do now?
Loosening
.,. Install the wheel bolt wrench over the
wheel bolt and push it down as far as it will
go .
.,. Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench
handle and turn the wheel bolts
counter­
clockwise
about one single turn in the direc­
tion of arrow
c> fig. 251.
Tightening
.,. Install the wheel bolt wrench over the
wheel bolt and push it down as far as it will
go .
.,. Take tight hold of the
end of the wrench
handle and turn each wheel bolt
clockwise
until it is seated .
A WARNING
- Do not use force or hurry when changing
a wheel - you can cause the vehicle to slip
off the jack and cause serious personal
injuries.
- Do not loosen the wheel bolts more than
one turn
before you raise the vehicle with
the jack. - You risk an injury.
@ Tips
If a wheel bolt is very tight, you may find it
easier to loosen by carefully pushing down
on the end of the wheel bolt wrench with
one foot only. As you do so, hold on to the
car to keep your balance and take care not
to slip.
Raising the vehicle
The vehicle must be lifted with the jack first
before the wheel can be removed.
Fig. 252 Sill pane ls: mar kings
Fig. 253 Sill: posit ioning the jack
.,. Activate the vehicle jack mode* (only vehi­
cles with Adaptive Air Suspension)
<::> page 154.
.,. Engage the parking brake to prevent your
vehicle from rolling unintentionally
.,. Move the
selector lever to position P .
.,. Find the marking (imprint) on the sill that
is nearest the wheel that will be changed
c> fig. 252. Behind the marking, there is a
lifting point on the sill for the jack.
.,. Turn the
jack located under the lifting point
on the sill to raise the jack until its arm@
c> fig. 253 is located under the designated
plastic mount
c> & c::> (D .
.,. Align the jack so that its arm @ c::> fig. 253
engages in the designated lifting point in
the door sill and the movable base® lies
flat on the ground. The base @ must be
ver­
tical
under the lifting point@.
.,. Wind the jack up further until the flat tire
comes off the ground
c> ,& .
Position the jack only under the designated
lifting points on the sill
c>fig . 252. There is
exactly
one location for each wheel. The jack
must not be positioned at any other location
c> .&. c> CD.
An unstable surface under the jack can cause
the vehicle to slip off the jack. Always provide
a firm base for the jack on the ground. If nec­
essary place a sturdy board or similar support under the jack . On
hard, slippery surfaces
(such as tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to
prevent the jack from slipping
c> ,&.. liJI,

302 What do I do now?
When removing or installing the wheel,
the rim could hit the brake rotor and dam­
age the rotor. Work carefully and have a
second person help you.
- When mounting tires with
unid irectional
tread design
make sure the tread pat­
tern is pointed the right way
¢ page 302.
-The wheel bolts should be clean and easy
to turn. Check for d irt and corrosion on
the mat ing surfaces of both the wheel
and the hub. Remove all dirt from these
su rfaces before remount ing the wheel.
Tires with unidirectional tread design
Tires with unidirectional tread design must be
mounted with their tread pattern pointed in
the right direction.
Using a spare t ire w ith a tread pattern
int ended fo r use in a specific direct ion
When us ing a spa re tire w ith a t read patte rn
i n te nded for use in a specific direction, p lease
note the fo llowing:
- The direction of rotation is marked by an ar­
row on the side of the tire .
- If the spare tire has to be installed in the in­
correct d irection, use the spare tire only
temporarily since the t ire will not be able to
a chieve its optimum perfo rma nce character­
ist ics w ith reg ard to aquapl ani ng, noise and
wea r.
- We recommend tha t you pay pa rticular at ­
tent ion to this fact du ring wet weather and
that you adjust your speed to ma tch road
con ditions.
- Replace the fla t tire w ith a new one and
have it installed on your veh icle as soon as
poss ible to restore the handling advantages
of a unid irect iona l tire.
Notes on wheel changing
Please read t he i nfo rmat ion Q page 285, New
tires and replacing tires and wheels
if yo u are
go ing to use a spa re tire which is different
from the tires on yo ur vehicle.
After you change a tire:
- Check the tire pressure on the spar e imm e­
diately after installation .
- Ha ve the wheel bolt tightening torque
ch ecked with a torque wr ench as soon a s
po ssible by your authorized Audi deal er or
a qua lifi ed workshop.
- With steel and alloy wheel rim s, the wheel
bolt s are corre ctly tightened at a torque of
120 ft lb (160 Nm) .
- If you notice that the wheel bolts ar e cor ­
roded and difficult to turn while changing
a tire, they should be repla ced before y ou
c heck the tightening torque .
- Re pla ce the flat tire wi th a new on e and
have it in stalled on y our vehi cle a s soon a s
po ssible. Remount the wheel cover.
Until th en , dr ive with extra car e and at re­
duc ed speed s.
&_ WARNING
-
- If you a re going to eq uip you r vehi cle
with tires or rims which differ from those
which were factory installed, then be
sure to read the information
Q page 285,
New tires and replacing tires and
wheels.
- Always make s ure the damaged wheel o r
even a flat tire and the jack and tool kit
are property secured in the luggage com­
partment and are not loose in the pas­
senger compartment .
- In an accident or sudden maneuver they
could fly forwa rd, injuring anyone in the
ve hicle.
- Always store damaged wheel, jack and
too ls securely in the luggage compa rt­
ment. Othe rwise, in a n accident o r sud­
den maneuve r they could f ly forwa rd,
causing inj ury to passengers in the ve hi­
cle.