2015 AUDI Q7 flat tire

276 Tires a nd whee ls
Recommended inflation Sidewall
pressure
means that portion of a tire be -
see
c:::> page 2 7 4, Cold tire infla-tween the tread and bead.
tion pressure.
Speed rating (letter code )
Reinforced tire
means the speed at which a tire
means a tire design to operate is designed to be driven for ex-
at higher loads and at higher tended periods of time. The rat-
inflation pressures than the ings range from 93 mph (150
corresponding standard tire .
km/h) to 186 mph (298 km/h)
Reinforced tires may be identi -
c:::> page 294. You may not find
fied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA
this information on all tires be-
LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
cause it is not required by law.
Rim The speed rating letter code,
means a metal support for a where applicable, is molded on
tire or a tire and tube assembly the tire sidewall and indicates
upon which the tire beads are the maximum permissible
road
seated . speeds
c:::> A in Winter tires on
Rim d
iameter
page 298.
means nominal diameter of the
T ir e pressure mon itoring
system
bead seat. If you change your means a system that detects
wheel size, you will have to pur-
chase new tires to match the when one or more of a vehicle's
new rim diameter . tires are underinflated and illu-
Rim
size de signation
m inates a low tire pressure
warning telltale.
means rim diameter and width.
Tread
R im width
means that portion of a tire
means nominal distance be- that comes into contact with
tween rim flanges. the road.
...

278 Tires a nd whee ls
Vehicle ma ximum load on
the tire
means that load on an individu­
al tire that is determ ined by
distr ibuting to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded
vehicle weight and div iding by
two.
Vehicle normal load on the
tire
means that load on an in div id u­
al t ire that is determ ined by d
istribut ing to each axle its
share of the curb weight, acces ­
sory weight, and normal occ u­
pant weigh t (distributed in ac­
cordance with table below
¢ page 2 78) and dividing by
two .
Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for
v arious designated seating capac ities
Designated seating Vehicle normal load, Occupant distribu-
capacity , number of number of occupants tion in a normally
occupants loaded vehicle
5/6*/7* 3 2 in front, 1 in sec -
ond seat
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire pressure affects the overall handling, performance and safety
of a vehicle.
F ig. 25 0 Tire pressure label: located
on driver's side 8 -pillar
~----------~"'
~--=-==--=~1::.-=--=-•=:- :-,_. SIA COU>lR"f"fU;Sl,R
MW OWE lSlllHS P'RES5l0H OES f'Nall A, FIIICJD
:"" -ICPA. • PSI
.::. -KPA.. . PSI
°'~ -KPA. -PSI
Fig. 251 Tire pressure label

Tires and wheels 2 79
Tire pressure generally refers to tant things you can do to help •
the amount of air in a tire that avoid sudden tire failure. Un-• '
it needs it to do its job and derinflated tires are a major
safely carry the combined load cause of sudden tire failure. of the entire vehicle and its con- Keeping tires at the right pres-
tents. Tire pressure is measured sure is also important for safe
in kilopascals (kPa), the inter- and responsive vehicle han-
national measuring unit and in dling, traction, braking and
pounds per square inch (PSI). load carrying.
Tire pressures
Tire pressure is based in part on are particularly important
the vehicle's design and load when the vehicle is being driv-
limit - the greatest amount of en at higher speeds, and then
weight that the vehicle can car-especially when heavily loaded
ry safely and the tire size. The even within the permissible
proper tire pressure is frequent-load-carrying capacities ap-
ly referred to as the "recom-proved for your vehicle.
mended cold tire inflation pres-The recommended tire pres-
sure." Air in the tires expands sures for your Audi depend on
when the tire heats up because the kind of tires on your vehicle
of internal friction when it flex- and the number of passengers
es in use. The tire pressure is and/or amount of luggage you
higher when the tire has will be transporting.
warmed up than when it is The tire pressure label is locat-
"cold." It is the inflation pres-
ed on the driver's side B-pillar.
sure in a "cold" tire that counts.
Therefore, you should never let The tire pressure label lists the
recommended cold tire infla-
air out of a warm tire to match
"cold tire inflation pressure" tion pressures for the vehicle at
its maximum capacity weight
recommendations. The tires
would then be underinflated and tires that were on your ve-
and could fail suddenly. hicle at the time it was manu-
factured.
M N
0
Maintaining proper tire pres-...J
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sure is one of the most impor-1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,

280 Tires and wheels
If you wish to improve comfort See the illustration ¢ fig. 250
when operating the vehicle at for the location of the label on
normal load (up to 3 occu-driver's side B-pillar (color of
pants), you can adjust tire the actual label and exact loca-
pressures to those specified tion on the vehicle will vary
for normal vehicle load. Before slightly).
operating the vehicle at maxi-Note that the following table is
mum load, you must increase accurate at the time of going to
the tire pressures to those press and is subject to change .
specified for maximum vehicle In the event of discrepancies,
load¢&. the tire pressure label located
Bear in mind that the tire pres- on the driver's side B-pillar al-
sure monitoring system can on- ways takes precedence.
ly monitor the tire pressures
The table below lists the rec-
you have stored . The system
ommended cold tire inflation
does not recognize the load
pressures for the Audi model
condition of your vehicle. covered by your Owner's Litera-
The effectiveness of the tire ture at the vehicle's capacity
pressure monitoring system weight and the tire sizes instal-
will be impaired if you store led on the respective models as
normal load pressures but then original equipment, or as a fac-
operate the vehicle at its maxi-tory option.
...
mum load¢&.

282 Tires and wheels
all of the occupants and lug­
gage or other cargo that the ve­
hicle can carry. For the location
of the tire pressure label
¢fig. 250.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can
cause loss of vehicle control,
a crash or other accident, se­
rious personal injury, and
even death.
-Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed
to carry will prevent the ve­
hicle from handling properly
and increase the risk of a loss of vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may
not be able to stop the vehi­
cle within a safe distance.
-Tires on a vehicle that has
been overloaded can fail
suddenly causing loss of
control and a crash.
-Always make sure that the
total load being transported
- including the weight of a
trailer hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer -
does not make the vehicle heavier than the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rat­
ing.
A WARNING -
-Incorrect tire pressures
and/or underinflation can
lead to a ser ious or fatal ac­
cident .
-Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation cause increased tire wear and can
affect the handling of the
vehicle.
-Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can
also lead to sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, caus­ ing loss of vehicle control.
Checking tire pressure
The correct tire pressure for the
tires originally installed on
your vehicle is listed on the tire
pressure label located on driv­
er's side 8-pillar.
The recommended tire pres­
sures are on the tire pressure
label and in the table
c;, page 2 78, Cold tire inflation
pressure.This
means that the
pressure must be checked and
adjusted when the tire has not .,.

Tires and wheels 283
been driven for more than a It is usually not possible to see •
couple of miles (kilometers) at whether the radial tires used • '
low speeds during the previous today are underinflated just by
three hours . Air in the tires ex- looking at them.
pands when the tire heats up as Therefore, be sure to check tire
a result of internal friction as it pressures at least once a month
flexes in use. The tire pressure and always before going on a
is higher when the tire has long trip. Make sure to take the
warmed up than when it is number of people and the
"cold." amount of luggage into ac-
It is the inflation pressure in a count when adjusting tire pres-
"cold" tire that counts. There- sure for a trip - even one that
fore, you should never let air you would not consider to be out of a warm tire to match "long. " See ¢
page 286 , Tires
"Cold tire inflation pressure" and vehicle load limits for more
recommendations ¢
page 2 78. important information.
The tires would then be under- Always use an accurate tire
inflated and could fail sudden- pressure gauge when checking
ly. and adjusting inflation pres-
The tire pressure label on your sures. Check all of the tires and
Audi lists the recommended be sure not to forget the spare cold tire inflation pressures at tire . If the pressure in any tire is
maximum capacity for the new, too high when the tire is "cold,"
original equipment tires that let air out of the tire slowly
were on your vehicle at the time with the edge of the tire gauge it was manufactured. For the and keep checking the pressure
location of the label until you reach the pressure
¢
page 278, fig. 250. that is correct for the load (pas-
Most tires lose air naturally sengers and luggage) and kind
over time. They can also lose of driving you plan to do
.
....
M N some air if you drive over a pot-0 ..J
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hole or hit a curb while parking . .... \!) 1.1'1
.... 1.1'1 ....

284 Tires and whee ls
If the pressure in any tire is too were on your vehicle at the
low, note the difference be- time it was manufactured . For
tween the pressure in the cold recommended tire pressures
tire and the pressure you need for normal load conditions, and add the air that you need to please see chapter
reach the correct pressure for
¢ page 278 .
the vehicle load (passengers
-Turn the valve stem cap coun-
and luggage) for the tires on ter-clockwise to remove it
your veh icle as listed on the on
from the tire valve.
your veh icle and in this manual
-Place the air pressure gauge
and the kind of driving you p lan
on the valve.
to do .
-The tire pressures should only
Never e xceed the maximum in -be checked and adjusted when
flation pressure listed on the the tires are cold . The slightly
ti re sidewall for any reason. raised pressures of warm tires
must not be reduced .
Remember that the vehicle
-Adjust the tire pressure to the
manufacturer, not the t ire man-
load you are carrying .
ufacturer, determines the car- -Reinstall the valve stem cap
rect t ire pressure for the tires
on the valve.
on your vehicle.
It is important to check the tire
When should I check the tire
pressure?
p ressure when the tires are
cold . The correct tire pressure is es-
-Read the required tire pres- pecially important at
high
speeds . The pressure should
sure from the tire pressure la- therefore be checked at least
bel. The tire pressure label is once a month and always be-
located on the driver's side B -
fore starting a journey . Do not
pi llar . The tire pressure label
forget to check the tire pres -
lists the recommended co ld
sure for the spare wheel.
..
tire inflation pressures for the
vehicle at its max imum capaci-
ty weight and the tires that

M N
0 ...J
"': ,...., \!) 1.1'1 ,...., 1.1'1 ,....,
When should I adjust the
tire pressures?
Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are carrying. After
changing a wheel
or replacing
wheels you have to adjust the
tire pressures on all wheels. In addition, you must then store
the new tire pressures in the
tire pressure monitoring sys­
tem
c> page 303.
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/
or underinflation can lead sudden tire failure, loss of
control, collision, serious per­
sonal injury or even death .
-When the warning symbol
II] appears in the instru­
ment cluster, stop and in­
spect the tires.
-Incorrect tire pressure and/ or underinflation can cause
increased tire wear and can
affect the handling of the
vehicle and stopping ability.
- Incorrect tire pressures
and/or underinflation can
also lead to sudden tire fail­
ure, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, caus­ ing loss of vehicle control.
Tires and wheels 285
-The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all tires on the vehicle. The
applicable pressure values
are located on a sticker on
the driver's side 8-pillar.
-Only when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the cor­rect pressure, the tire pres­
sure monitoring system can
work correctly.
-The use of incorrect tire pressure values can lead to
accidents or other damage.
Therefore it is essential that
the driver observe the speci­
fied tire pressure values for
the tires and the correct
pressures for the function of
the tire pressure monitoring
system.
-Always inflate tires to the recommended and correct
tire pressure before driving
off.
-Driving with underinflated tires bend more, letting
them get too hot resulting
in tread separation, sudden
tire failure and loss of con­
trol.
-Excessive speed and/over­ loading can cause heat •
•
'