[StlRamsFan]

Trying to find where the tire pressure is displayed.

 

[rnlabas]

Trying to find where the tire pressure is displayed.

If you mean what pressures to use, they're on the driver's door jam on a sticker. If you mean in MMI, they're not - The Q3 MMI (for NAR) does not provide actual (absolute or discreet) pressures by tire for you to read from it. You only get relative pressures (from the ABS sensors) to the correct set point YOU input to MMI.

Basically, YOU set the correct pressures and tell the MMI - "Now they are correct." If they change, you'll get a warning that one or more have changed from what YOU set them correctly to. If you set them wrong and tell the system they're correct - bad on you. And the warning is NOT by tire (like some other Audis) - it's generic - any of the tires could be low - YOU'll have to check and confirm which one is causing the alarm.

If any tire is about 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) less than the setpoint, you'll get a warning. This CAN include the mere change in cooler ambient temperatures - say you set them at home (65 degF), tell MMI they're correct - drive to the ski lodge that day, the car sits outside overnight - it's now 35-45 degF - bing - you'll get a warning.

Since the hardware for discreet actual pressures is cheap enough or the coding to reveal which tire is causing the issue is already done in other Audis anyway, to include neither is kinda chicken$hit imho ... maybe this was just a cheapout -


UPDATE : I JUST had a Tire Pressure warning AND it was SPECIFIC - that is, Check Right Rear Tire - Under-pressure - came up in my center display between the gauges. I spent more time wondering why it was SPECIFIC than worrying about it since when it came up I was literally about 200 m from where I was going - my Audi Dealer. However I did NOT notice anything until I parked the car - AND WOW - tire was FLAT - I mean pancake flat, and I was pi$$ed. I knew that even 200 meters on a non-run flat tire THIS low would be bad - and it was - Tire inside wall was ruined even though the puncture (which I did NOT hear or feel until the warning came on) was in the tread. Man what a $300 lesson. So - either I've coded something for the TPMS to show specific wheel/tire monitoring and don't know/remember it OR we DO have it already in our system. Still can't find absolute or discreet pressure though - and prolly won't knowing we're using just ABS sensors rather than in-tire senders ...

Next time any Q3 owner sees a low TPMW, please document and post about the warning - was it SPECIFIC - which tire or GENERIC - a/any tire. Please include trim - i.e. Premium Plus or Prestige - Thanks -

 

[Ourob0r0s11]

So after reading this thread the other day, I coincidentally had a low tire pressure warning light show up. So, I went to the nearest gas station and got ready to check my pressures and fill up the culprit. Turns out I've put about 2500 miles on my stock 18" wheels with each tire filled (from the dealership) to about 44 psi.

Now you guys were talking about running 44-46psi all the time, but that was with the 19" wider wheels and tires, right? Am I really risking anything serious riding with such a high psi? I haven't noticed any particular degradation of ride quality or any other issues, hence why I didn't notice the psi was so high until the system told me it was low, go figure. I've also been on some pretty bumpy and pothole filled roads and haven't had any problems.

If I remember correctly on the doorjamb sticker it recommended around 36psi for the 18s (someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm out of town and away from my Q3 right now) so I just dropped all four tires to around 40psi and reset the tpms value in the MMI. Should I drop the pressures even more when I get back? I guess I'm just kind of confused by why they were set so high with no seemingly negative effect.

And lastly, what could have caused the Audi dealership to make such a mistake when initially delivering my vehicle?

 

[rnlabas]

I once rented a car that had about 70 psi in TWO tires with the others at about right (38 psi) [tire label 44 psi] - and the only thing I noticed was a bit of squirrely handling - the high pressured tires were both on one (right) side - Usually with up to about 10 psi or so above normal - provided they're all equally balanced high, you WON'T notice (or risk) anything. If you were to run 20-30 psi above normal - especially NOT balanced - at high speed (>100 mph) for awhile - like an hour or more, you may run the risk of a blowout since that much overpressure can lead to even greater heat-generated pressures. Even so, the MAWP (Maximum Allowable Working Pressure) for tires is prolly some 25-50% above the max rating on the sidewall - and tires usually run cooler with higher pressures anyway - but heat ALWAYS builds up with them and pressures ALWAYS rise with heat - so ...there's a convergence to yield at some point.

I suppose some yokel just pumped 'em up till they 'looked right' and off you went - I check mine at least once a week just for grins -

 

[Ourob0r0s11]

Thanks Roger, so do you recommend leaving them around 40psi where I've dropped the pressure about 4psi from the dealership, or should I drop them down to the door sticker psi value? Or is it just whatever I feel like, since as long as they stay balanced and not grossly over pressure it doesn't make much of a difference?

 

[rnlabas]

Depends on you - check this thread ...

 

[Ourob0r0s11]

Depends on you - check this thread ...

Ah, my wandering mind was telling me that that thread was this thread for some reason, I see now this thread is new from today. The thread you linked is the thread I had read through and that I referenced for info from my first comment in this thread. I think I'll try lowering the pressure to the values on the door jamb and see if there are any noticeable effects, and decide where I should go from there, and I will be checking my pressures more frequently now especially before long trips and after services.

 

[john]

Ah, my wandering mind was telling me that that thread was this thread for some reason, I see now this thread is new from today. The thread you linked is the thread I had read through and that I referenced for info from my first comment in this thread. I think I'll try lowering the pressure to the values on the door jamb and see if there are any noticeable effects, and decide where I should go from there, and I will be checking my pressures more frequently now especially before long trips and after services.

Please let us know your results from lowering it. I have not gotten around to lowering mine to 33/33. They are still at ~44.

 

[rnlabas]

Ah, my wandering mind was telling me that that thread was this thread for some reason, I see now this thread is new from today. The thread you linked is the thread I had read through and that I referenced for info from my first comment in this thread. I think I'll try lowering the pressure to the values on the door jamb and see if there are any noticeable effects, and decide where I should go from there, and I will be checking my pressures more frequently now especially before long trips and after services.

...and if I should get there before you do, tell me to wait a minute cuz I'll be right back...

 

[Thurick]

I just read both threads on this topic: the one I'm posting on here, and the one that rnlabas references above.

I've been running 33 on all four tires since November 2014, because that's what the head mechanic at Beverly Hills Audi recommended, despite what's on the door. Then today (November 3, 2015) I got my first service, and they were saying 44/46, and I was thinking whoa that's too high. So I came to the forum here and read these threads for council.

Seems to me the best thing to do is take the middle ground and go 38 on all four tires. Does this make sense to you guys?

And by the way, I thought 33 on all four was feeling just fine through the past twelve months. But now 38 seems to be the way to get the best of both worlds, as it were. Sound legit? And 33/35 or 38/40 or 44/46 doesn't seem to make sense, because the tires are the same size (whereas on, say, an X5, 33/35 seems only natural because the tires are different sizes in front and back [and which is BMW's recommendation for that vehicle]).

 

[john]

I wish I could help. Both of my Q3s are set to 44 as they came they way and I have not bothered to move them lower. I have always followed the recommendations on the door of the vehicle and even though I am not carrying a full load in either vehicle and I should move them to 33, I have yet to do so.
I have not found a compelling reason to do so I guess.

 

[DampDuffer]

Our Q3 came from the dealer with 33/33.

When I asked them about the door reading 44/46, they said that was for max load and they recommend 33/33.

I had them set the tires to 44/46, and that's where we ran them for a month before setting them to 36/36.....and that is the pressure we find is the "best of both worlds," so to speak.

BTW, on Halloween we drove through the heaviest rainstorm we've ever encountered in the Pacific Northwest, and while others were having difficulty with hydroplaning (aquaplaning for some), our Q3 with Quattro and 36/36 tires was acting like it was on rails. I'm sure we were driving much too fast for conditions, but god it was fun.

 

[Thurick]

Ok thank you Duffer!

36 actually sounds perfect to me, now that I think about it. I'll wait a day to see if anyone else pitches in, but I'm planning on going 36 at this point.

 

[rebop]

I played with 33, 44, 35, 36, 37.5, 38, 40. Settled on 37.5 as my favorite for "feel" all around. Contact patch looks good on all but the rear right where I suspect mis-set camber. Going ion next week to check.

~Bob

 

[PuroMexicano]

I had them at 36 for a while, it bounced like a basketball

stock 33/33 provides FOR ME the best feel and grip

 

[Kwakkwakk]

35 front and rear for me.