dimoman

Hey guys, I have an Audi SQ8 2021, on 20k miles, and my FRONT tires ( OEM - CONTINENTAL CROSS CONTACT LX SPORT 285 /40 R22 ) are wearing unevenly from both sides. I consulted with the dealership, but they said that it is normal for this model due to the heavier engine and stiff suspension. Unfortunately, the dealership does not want to take any action to resolve this issue.

Does anybody else have that issue?

ecloumd

need to have a 4 wheel alignment checked and rotate the tires more frequently like every 10k miles front to rear. Those tires are done need to be replaced theyre at the wear bars

Farmer Harv

From that picture they look fairly evenly worn, and they are also completely worn out. Im guessing mostly city driving? Maybe under-inflated just a bit also.

What do the rears look like?

dimoman

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I would say 70% city 30% highway. There is no issue at all on the rears. At some point, I assumed that the whole suspension twists the tires at such an angle that causes them to wear.

I have a Q7 same year, same miles, but slightly smaller tiers at 285 /35 R22 vs 285 /40 R22 for the SQ8 and that issue is not there!

Dan99

Your tires are under inflated.

Ideally, you want the amount of air pressure needed in each tire to press the entire tread surface flat against the road. If the tire is over inflated, the center of the tread will bulge and will wear faster than the outside edges, leaving a bald spot in the center of the tread. If the tire is under inflated, the center of the tread will collapse and the outside edges of the tire will wear prematurely because they are carrying too much of the load (this describes your car). If you have wear on just one edge, such as the outside or inside edge of the tread, have your alignment checked.

There are plenty of threads about this. Here are a few:

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-.../#post25822207

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-.../#post25819919

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/aud.../#post25831651

One consequence of increasing the air pressure is that the ride will be more firm. Under inflated tires are softer and so is the ride. You just have to live with replacing your tires more often, and understand that they have less traction than they would if correctly inflated.

dimoman

Dan99: Thank you.

I had no idea that could be an issue. I've been a car enthusiast for quite some time, but I never knew such an issue could exist.

But then my question (to Audi I guess) would be, If the SQ8 has a factory problem with its current OEM tire pressure and recommended configuration, I'm sure that I kept the tires at the recommended levels of 39 psi Front and 42 psi Rear. BTW that's exactly the same pressure for the Q7 that has the smaller tires at 285 /35 R22, and does not have that issue.

Now I'm thinking that it also could be specific to this tire, (CONTINENTAL CROSS CONTACT LX SPORT 285 /40 R22)

BRITinUS

Audi OEM Continental tires have excellent performance and grip, but do tend to wear out very fast. On both my Q7 and previous S8 which were supplied new with Continental tires were switched to Michelin tires when they wore out since they have a mileage warranty. The OEM Continental Sport Contact 6 tires on my RS Q8 are already almost worn out with just 13,000 miles on the odomenter. I will be replacing those with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires next week with their 20,000 mile warranty.

dimoman

BRITinUS Do you see the same uneven wear on the tires for the RSQ8?

retom

I totally agree. This is how tires run with too low pressure look like.

Dan99

First, I should point out that the SQ8 and the Q7 are different. You have a V8 in the SQ8 and either a 4 or 6 cylinder in the Q7, so the amount of weight on the front end is different. The more weight you have over the tires, the more air pressure you need to support that weight. I don't know the actual weight distribution of your vehicles, but I would expect the SQ8 to require more air in the front than the Q7, to compensate for the heavier engine. And, since you were using the same air pressure in both vehicles, that would explain your tire wear pattern.

Different brands/models of tires can require different inflation amounts to keep the tread flat on the pavement. This is because different manufacturers may implement different degrees of stiffness in the side walls of the tires to alter handling characteristics. But the difference between manufacturers is small. Your tires are worn due to under inflation, not tire brand.

I'm not sure what your manual says, but you should check to see if it has additional information about tire pressure. In my manual the pressures vary with tire and wheel size, and how many passengers are in the car. See what your manual says and start with those pressures if they are different that what you are using. You might also consider using the chalk technique described in the last link of my prior post. Basically, put a chalk line on the tire from the tread to the sidewall, then drive around a turn with some assertiveness. After driving through the corner, check the chalk line to see how far the tire scraped. You DO NOT want it to scrape onto the sidewall. A 1/2 inch or so from the top of the tread is ok, but under no circumstances should it scrape below the actual tread that wraps onto the sidewall. You might also try some hard braking, to see if that affects the chalk line.

Regarding your dealer comments, Audis tend to have more weight on the front tires due to the configuration of Quattro and the corresponding placement of the engine. The more weight on a tire, the more air pressure it needs to wear evenly. Yours are clearly under inflated. Dealers may tell you this is normal, but it's not healthy for your tires or pocketbook. If anything, dealers like to under inflate tires on vehicles to give them a softer ride. If they put more air in, customers complain of a harsh ride. And, if the tires wear "normally" they can sell you more tires.

So, in a sense, you have to decide between ultimate comfort, or correct tire wear. And, if your tires are inflated correctly, you will have more traction in all situations.