Tyre Pressures

[JannerAudi]

In the A6 manual with regard to tyre pressures it states on page 230 "The tyre pressure must be adjusted according to the load the vehicle is carrying. We recommend adhering to the tyre pressure specifications for a maximum load. However, if you prefer an extra-smooth ride and the vehicle is not fully loaded, you can select the tyre pressure for a normal load (no more than three people travelling in the vehicle). Should you wish to drive with a full load, you must increase the tyre pressure to the specified maximum.

For my S-line with the 245/45R18 tyres the label on the driver's door states :-

1 to 3 people 32psi Front and 30psi Rear
1 to 5 people 35psi Front and 38psi Rear.

These two sentences seem a bit contradictory "The tyre pressure must be adjusted according to the load the vehicle is carrying. We recommend adhering to the tyre pressure specifications for a maximum load." I just wondered if anyone does drive all the time with the tyres at maximum load pressure as recommended in the manual by Audi if like me there is only normally one or two adults in the car. The S-line ride is quite firm as it is and I would have thought even firmer at maximum load pressures when the car is not actually fully loaded.

[Passatier3]

No, as it's mainly just me and sometimes my wife in the car I use the lower pressures. If going away and have some luggage in the car I'll increase the rear pressure a bit.

Can't see the point in increasing the front tyre pressures really as the load won't increase much on those.

If fully loaded use the higher pressures but otherwise you wouldn't want to be driving around like that all the time.

[johnsimcox]

In the A6 manual with regard to tyre pressures it states on page 230 "The tyre pressure must be adjusted according to the load the vehicle is carrying. We recommend adhering to the tyre pressure specifications for a maximum load. However, if you prefer an extra-smooth ride and the vehicle is not fully loaded, you can select the tyre pressure for a normal load (no more than three people travelling in the vehicle). Should you wish to drive with a full load, you must increase the tyre pressure to the specified maximum.

For my S-line with the 245/45R18 tyres the label on the driver's door states :-

1 to 3 people 32psi Front and 30psi Rear
1 to 5 people 35psi Front and 38psi Rear.

These two sentences seem a bit contradictory "The tyre pressure must be adjusted according to the load the vehicle is carrying. We recommend adhering to the tyre pressure specifications for a maximum load." I just wondered if anyone does drive all the time with the tyres at maximum load pressure as recommended in the manual by Audi if like me there is only normally one or two adults in the car. The S-line ride is quite firm as it is and I would have thought even firmer at maximum load pressures when the car is not actually fully loaded.

The recommendation to use the higher pressures may of course be to do with the CO2 emissions rating they have managed to achieve. Higher pressures will lead to reduced rolling resistance and thus better fuel consumption, at the expense of ride comfort and also (when carrying less weight) poorer grip. By recommending them they can claim that all cars are like that and get the rating, even if drivers ultimately actually reduce the pressures