[Sportingmac]

...recommended tyre pressures

To add my 10p worth. I am approaching 6k miles and have worn the shoulders off my Goodyear tyres too. I was warned - as I drove away - by the dealer to keep a regular check on the tyres pressures - so I am guessing he knew about the issue. Sadly I didn't check them for 5k miles since the car is driven by my good lady on a daily basis. When I did the were rather low - 35F and 38R. I read p341 of the owners manual and was surprised to see the recommendation was to keep the tyre pressure set as for a maximum load - 44F and 49R. So I am guessing that my issue has been low pressures - though the gist of this thread might suggest otherwise. Anyway I will keep you all posted on my "new" settings and see what comes of it all.

Great car though - might do with a suspension drop I am thinking - anyone out there done this yet and how has that affected the tyres?

CD

 

[Sportingmac]

Check with your dealership....

I have just had a very interesting chat to my local dealer. I was taking my car back for the tailgate software update when I mentioned the tyre issue - immediate response was for me to have it booked in for a 4 wheel alignment check....and if deemed necessary - fit new tyres.

It appears that if the tyres have done less than 10k then the tyres are changed free - if the car has done 10~12k then it is a 50% contribution and if under 15K then it is a 25% contribution. I do have to add this will be dependent upon the results of the wheel alignment - but I am confident that I will have two new tyres by the end of the month - more on that then.

Second point was that tyres type is an option when ordering your new car - you can opt for off-road if you want - I am sure most of you know that of course - but I believe they will let you choose any tyre if you ask!!

If I am to have new tyres the Service Manager tells me that they will likely be Dunlop - harder wearing. Any thoughts anyone?

I have some Vredestein SUV tyres for £180 - might be giving them a try later on. Anybody fitted them yet?

 

[Sportingmac]

...or a Range Rover - tyres going to 30k doesn't seem a problem. Audi do have a major problem looming for the Q7 it would appear - so they appear to be doing their utmost to keep the current set of owners happy.

Turning the steering wheel is important I think.....

As for buying a BMW - had one - not a patch on Q7

 

[Sportingmac]

Similar situation at Doncaster Audi. They did check my alignment and all was well - apparently. But advised me that I should go back before 10k miles for a further review - nice man.

However - I had to replace a tyre due to nail damage - and had an alignment check done at the same time - and it was out - significantly. I opted to leave the setting as it was so that I can challenge Audi at the 10k mark. I also took a printout from the tyre dealers latest and greatest alignment rig and gave it to the Audi engineer - who was interested but defended the Audi alignment rig.

But on the upside - the rear tyre I had to replace has done 8500 miles and was only less than half worn - the front ones don't look so good on the edges though.

PS Audi wanted £277 + fitting for one tyre. I got the same tyre for £180 fitted. Don't buy from Audi.

 

[Sportingmac]

What was your mileage on tyres?

 

[Sportingmac]

Well said Badger - I am with you on all points. Range Rover and Land Rover do well on their tyres too - so my conclusion is that this is an Audi technical problem and not just a driver or vehicle weight problem.

Come on Audi - sort it.

 

[Sportingmac]

I am with you on this Quacker - brilliant car but........

....Two of my very good friends are trading in - one because he rolled it and was not impressed by how that happened and the other because he doesn't want to pay more out in tyres than he did for the car - so it's goodbye Audi brand - hello (again) Range Rover - both

..me - might go back to A6 Avant or Allroad - but it is a great car - shame about....

 

[Sportingmac]

If I get to 18000 miles I will be reasonably content - I expect that 75% (legal lmits) of the tyre will still be good at 18000 miles - but my outer edges are now in the limit at 10000 miles. I think that is the issue that we are having with Audi. They say the camber etc is within spec - but when I had it checked independently it was out - mmmhhhh.

BTW - Pneus tyres (online) offer tyre insurance with their tyres for a few pounds extra - usual liability - punctures, malformed etc BUT will change the other tyre on the same axle if it is worn enough to merit a change at the same time as your punctured tyre. Low probability and low cost - but worth doing since I have had to change 2 tyres with embedded nails after trips to the local waste recycling centre.

 

[Sportingmac]

Good advice AudiQ7. And a good piece of research with Goodyear too.

Your comments support the experience I had with my Sierra Cosworth. My tyres were feathering the outer edges quite badly after a refit - so we played around with the wheel alignment to see if we could cure the problem. We could stop the tyres feathering their edges but the handling went to pot - tried various settings but had to resort to a compromise. That said I did get 25+ miles out of them. Seems Audi have a similar problem to solve.

I also understand that the current Audi setting reflects the need to correct the steering alignment as the engine torque builds up. (where the wheels alignment are offset at rest but straighten up on the move - anyone help to explain better?). This is what is causing the outer edges to wear apparently. Any technical people on here care to take a stab at this explanation - and is it true?

 

[Sportingmac]

I had a very quick response from Goodyear today. Nothing wrong with tyres - suspect the Audi set-up. To achieve the level of steering response that Audi push on their sales blurb it needs to be set as it is. Rather than compromise the steering agility and performance Audi has settled on a solution that eats tyres.

Spoke to Audi Customer Services - very helpful - told me about the goodwill gesture - 50% of replacement tyres - once only !!

Spoke to my local dealer - appreciates the dilema and thinks that setting can be adjusted to the limit s and this may improve wear.

Anyone want a Q& with a new set of tyres on? I suspect that residual values will be low on this car once the news filters out into the used markets.

Why didn't I listen to my other self - buy an A6 Avant instead.

 

[Sportingmac]

Hi A8 tech - for the record I think this is one of the better Audi's I have owned - but I am not content with it's tyre eating habits and that is what we are all getting letting off steam about. Since Audi are offering goodwill gestures suggests that there is something in all our collective winges on the subject.

If you have the Audi specifications for wheel alignment - grateful if you would share that with us all - so we can check for ourselves at independent tyre dealers. Please include any suspension setting that have to be in place before the alignment check is done. I~ understand that the vehicle has to be lowered 55mm before checking - care to comment? And if it is true why this and not an average of the settings. Better still - what difference is there between each of teh suspension settings and what bearing does each have on the alignment and so the tyre wear?

You see - it is only knowledge we seek - not a cover up. I think we can all live with tyres if we know what to expect.

 

[Sportingmac]

Good thought Frizz - maybe we should get you to ask your Audi teller for a check-up and print-out and post onto this forum - be very useful to quite a few people I am sure.

Also - is your mileage motorway or mixed? And tyre pressure setiings too? 6mm at the outer edge is a distant memory now at 10k.

 

[Sportingmac]

Firstly Sportingmac, I think I would be better off taking my car to my local tyreweb who can do a full alignment check for 25 quid.
Travelling is mainly A roads and back lanes with plenty of corners and roundabouts. About 15% is motorway driving. I have Dunlop sportmax 295/35 R21's which I run at 44F 49R and generally leave the car in automatic.

Thanks for the data Frizz - useful. I note that you have set your tyre pressure to max (ie 5+ pers) - is that your call or the required setting? I have experimented with the max setting for a few thousand miles - and it seems to have slowed the rate of wear. I have set it back to the petrol cap settings for normal (35/35) and we shall see. It goes back to Audi on Tues for a few small adjustments - we'll see.

I noticed in the handbook that it tells you to set the tyre pressures as for full load (5+ pers) and this would be 45/49 - which is at odds with the petrol cap recommendations - anyone seen the same?

I have a printout from my local tyre dealer who did a free check for me - my settings on his machine showed my car to be way out - but Audi said their machine was OK.



Is your car new? and if so did the Dunlops come as OEM? I ask because my local dealer is talking about a set of these as replacement for my tyres (Oct 2007)

 

[Sportingmac]

Thanks for the information Frizz. One more question if I may - what is your normal suspension setting? Comfort/Automatic/Dynamic.

It would be a great case study if we all responded with settings/ tyre pressures /mileage and tyre size.

When I spoke t Goodyear they do not see the same problems with other vehicles fitted with their tyres - and I don't think that many other SUV's come with air suspension as standard - ?

So the theory goes like this: Comfort mode and tyre pressure F35 R35 is the worst mode for eating tyres as teh suspension is doing more work anf has more movement under those settings - but it is teh best for comfort.

Dynamic and F40 R42 is a stiffer set-up and helps with suspension movement and so can be controlled better - eats less tyres

So there is my 10p worth.

More research on suspension set-up under way - initial findings are that to have excellent control and stability I would need race type bushes on my suspension (i have that on my Cosworth and it is painful but brilliant) - I can't see Audi doing that - so hence the compromise - soft suspension and to hell with the tyres.

But you seem to have the best of both world - so I suspect your set-up is accurate and in accordance with the specifications. My beef is that I am certain that my set-up is not within spec.

 

[Sportingmac]

I am thinking of sending a letter to Michael **** - who is Audi Board Member for Technical Development. It appears to be his department that is responsible for quality and technical innovation. Suspect that it will be batted back by one of his legal team with a holding letter that will take years ti interpret - but it might be worth it. Q7 sales for 2007 was 21,000 so there maust be a lot of pissed-off teddy bears out there - or a whole lot of people who have either sold up PDQ or are just shelling out. Or maybe we are only the few who have issues.

Whatever - I'll let you know how we progress. As for BMW X5 - no chance. And as for emotion - can't afford it and rarely use it. But logic and market depreciation rates dictate that it is worth holding for 2 years and trading in then.

 

[Sportingmac]

welcome to LAQ7 and JC1971 - I like you have bought Audi's for several years: A6 Allroad - brilliant but flawed brakes, A4 Cabriolet - brilliant and timeless, A4 Avant for daughter - another good car, A6 Avant - great for the "Twins" (Red setter for those who don't get to watch the UK car adverts) and now the Q7.

Always had good service from the dealer - but this tyre problem is causing them some worries. I too take my car back tomorrow for a check. This time I am armed with readouts from my independent wheel alignment, the VAG-Com manual settings, and better knowledge of suspension set-ups than my last visit - so like you JC - should be a good day in the showroom - hope they have lots of customers around too.

The new Q5 looks teh part - wonder if it will be "sorted" for tyre wear - as soon as teh order book is open I am looking to trade-down.

I'll let you all know what the outcome is tomorrow.

 

[Sportingmac]

Stick with it JC - there are more owners out there who are having the same problem - but if not then maybe we could hear your voices on this forum and tell us your good news - it would help us with the bad news to think that there is a solution and all we have to do is keep going - so come on all you viewers of the forum - speak up - either way will help.

I guess there are some Q7 owning legal peope out there who can help with a class action.

Final point - since we can afford Q7's I am guessing that money is not such a big deal - but being sold a problem rankles with all of us - and Audi are smiling all the way to the bank.

Maybe a mass protest might get some technical action from Audi - how about we all hand back our Q7's - imagine the media frenzy that would ensue.

 

[Sportingmac]

Hi Badger - you are right - ranting in public with the very people who can support and help will not be a good move - something I have learned well in my profession - firm and fair works as well as a bit of smooching.

I have followed the "win~win" rule in all my deals with partners and it has paid dividends. For the rule to work all parties have to be open and honest. All Audi have to do is tell us all what is going on. You have seen in other comments above that some owners are achieving reasonable mileage with a mix of driving and suspension set-up. So maybe it is possible to "get it right" now and not as you suggest in a few months/years time.

Besides - thought you were an A2 fan

 

[Sportingmac]

Badger - you are beginning to sound a bit off key here. I take it that you do not own or drive a Q7 and if you do I suspect it might be a as a company car - Audi perhaps. Does sound like it doesn't it?


Thank you for your support BTW - you seem to have inside knowledge or is that just hot air too?

 

[Sportingmac]

Thanks for your input & help

A8 - many thank for your input and help - very much appreciated. I have had a very good experience today with my dealer and they have proved more than helpful. New tyres fitted and I can now expect a longer life due to their care and concern.

Thanks again.