Tire pressure monitoring system in 2012/2013 A6
07-05-2013, 02:08 PM
#11
Such a shame, I will miss seeing direct readout. Have had it on all 6 Acuras and my current Infiniti since 2004. I am **** and OCD and always check the tires every time I start the car.
07-05-2013, 05:22 PM
#12
AudiWorld Member
FYI - ir will tell you which tire is low. I had it tell me the passenger rear tire was low when I ran over a screw.
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TheStigOnline (05-17-2021)
07-05-2013, 06:04 PM
#13
AudiWorld Super User
Well, that's good to know on the C7. Not as cool as the A8 which shows the PSI of each tire but still better than just a single tire low pressure light on my B8 A4.
07-15-2013, 11:37 AM
#14
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The newer Audis don't have pressure sensors in the tires; instead, they use the ABS sensors and analyze the waveform to determine if a tire is low. Thus, the car has no tire pressure information at all.
In order for TPMS to work with this system, you need to set the pressures at the correct value and then reset the TPMS learning/calibration in the MMI. Once you do this, the system will learn the waveform/signature for the particular tires and particular pressures. After about 20 minutes of driving at various speeds, the system finishes 'learning'.
In theory, the system will warn you if a tire is 20% low, and can figure out both single-tire and multiple-tire scenarios. I have not actually tried it to make sure it works.
Hope this helps. While there are no absolute readings, this approach allows for using rims without the TPMS sensors, avoids the replacement of sensors due to breakage when changing tires/batteries dying, etc. and in general makes for a more reliable, easier to maintain TPMS system that still provides useful information about dangerously low pressures. But you can no longer check your tires without using a gauge and getting some of that Audi brake dust soot on your fingers.
In order for TPMS to work with this system, you need to set the pressures at the correct value and then reset the TPMS learning/calibration in the MMI. Once you do this, the system will learn the waveform/signature for the particular tires and particular pressures. After about 20 minutes of driving at various speeds, the system finishes 'learning'.
In theory, the system will warn you if a tire is 20% low, and can figure out both single-tire and multiple-tire scenarios. I have not actually tried it to make sure it works.
Hope this helps. While there are no absolute readings, this approach allows for using rims without the TPMS sensors, avoids the replacement of sensors due to breakage when changing tires/batteries dying, etc. and in general makes for a more reliable, easier to maintain TPMS system that still provides useful information about dangerously low pressures. But you can no longer check your tires without using a gauge and getting some of that Audi brake dust soot on your fingers.
07-18-2013, 06:26 AM
#15
AudiWorld Member
Just yesterday had a flat tire due to a small nail. The TPMS told me it was the rear passenger side tire. So, that worked perfectly. What didn't work so well was the sensitivity threshold. On our other car (Acura MDX) the warning comes up when pressure drops to about mid-20's. Acura does show pressure in each tire. On my A6 the warning came up when the pressure dropped to 15 PSI. I am glad it warned me, but 15 PSI doesn't leave you much distance to drive before you're literally driving on a rim. I really wished the warning was triggered at 22-25 PSI. I think that's a bit of a safety issue.
07-18-2013, 08:28 AM
#16
Yeah 15 PSI is crappy, I thought they had to warn at 20% drop? For me I plan on inflating to 40PSI and setting the TPMS to learn at that as I usually run at that anyway so hopefully mine will trigger in the 20s somewhere. I was spoiled by my Acuras and Infiniti as they all did direct tore readout.
07-18-2013, 09:47 AM
#17
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My system detected a 5 psi drop. I got a screw in the driver rear tire, which I was running at 36 psi. The system warned me. I pulled over and used my tire gauge. It read 31 psi.
I'm happy with the way the system worked for me.
I'm happy with the way the system worked for me.
07-18-2013, 10:36 AM
#19
AudiWorld Member
I was running 36 PSI. When I got a warning one tire was 15 PSI and others were 36 PSI. The puncture was tiny (a small nail between treads). I was surprised it warned me so late. It appears my TPMS is less sensitive than other people's systems.
The only other possibility is that I pumped up tires to 36 and forgot to reset TPMS. Maybe prior to 36 I had 25 PSI and the system was reading from that benchmark.
The only other possibility is that I pumped up tires to 36 and forgot to reset TPMS. Maybe prior to 36 I had 25 PSI and the system was reading from that benchmark.
07-20-2013, 03:13 AM
#20
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I have never had a *low* pressure in my tires. I did run over a nasty pothole that induced a nasty bulge in the sidewall. Because the wheel was running unbalanced the TPMS came on and warned me. I'm not sure a pure pressure sensor would have detected a huge bulge, as the tire had not lost any air (it was just on its way to failing catastrophically). Read the the instructions for putting on the donut carefully, as positioning the jack into the underbody socket is tricky, and there is a tool to keep the wheel from sliding off in a way that could damage the hub/brakes. The donut is huge. As I was 1000 miles from home on a Sunday, I needed new tires, so I went to a local Firestone, and had POTENZA RE970AS POLE POSITION tires put on, which after 9 months I think I like better than the original Continental tires.