Audi Q7: Light Alloy Wheels, Care and Maintenance
To maintain the decorative appearance of light alloy wheels
for a long time, regular care is necessary.
In particular, road salt and dust from brake abrasion must
be thoroughly washed off every two weeks. Otherwise, the paint
of the light alloy wheel will be attacked.
The following are appropriate cleaning agents:
- Water or water and soft soap.
- Water and vinegar essence.
- Light alloy wheel cleaning agents without acids or harsh
solvents.
Do not exceed the soaking time of the cleaning agent.
The shorter the specified soaking time is, the stronger and
more aggressive the cleaning solution is.
If the paint is damaged, for example by impact from a stone,
the paint damage must be repaired immediately.
Remove adhesive residue from light alloy rim adhesive
balancing weights:
- Harsh solvents and acids attack the paint on light alloy
wheels and the surface of the wheel becomes matte and milky.
These agents therefore must not be used.
- To remove adhesive residue on light alloy wheels, use light
alloy cleansers or benzene-based cleanser. Do not exceed the
soaking time of the cleaning agent.
- After cleaning or removing adhesive residue on the tires,
they must be rinsed again with water.
Wheels, rotating:
- Vehicles with front-wheel drive experience more tread wear
on the front wheels due to the increased stress on them.
- In order for all four wheels on the vehicle to have the same
service life, it is recommended to rotate the front and rear
wheels.
- Be sure not to mix up tires, which have the direction of
rotation marked on them.
- The longer the tire runs at one position, the more it wears
at certain points, therefore, it is recommended to rotate the
wheels at short intervals. Refer to Maintenance Intervals.
- Diagonal rotation is possible only with non-directional
tires. This wheel rotation is especially advantageous for
heel-and-toe wear. Heel-and-toe wear. Refer to
→ Chapter "Heel and Toe Wear".
- If heel-and-toe wear has already progressed very far and the
tread is more than 50% worn, only slight improvement can be
achieved and rotation is no longer recommended. The elasticity
of the tread blocks declines and the heel-and-toe wear does not
progress.
Tires with Rim Protector
The tire industry produces tires with rim protector for
light alloy wheels (rim protector). The rim protector prevents
damage to the light alloy wheels caused by contact with curbs.
Using tires with rim protector on steel wheels with wheel
covers may lead to the loss of the wheel cover while driving.
The cover separates from its secure seating due to the flexing
of the tire.
WARNING
When installing tires on steel rims, ensure only
tires without rim protector are mounted.
The illustration shows the non-permissible combination of
steel rim, wheel cover and tire with rim protector.
![N44-0243](images/books/3007/audi_q7_light_alloy_wheels_care_and_maintenance_3065.webp)
A - Rim protector
B - Rim flange of a steel rim
C - Wheel cover
WARNING
This combination must not be mounted!
READ NEXT:
General Information
Note
Having the correct air pressure in the tires can also
decrease the amount of tire wear and increase the tire mileage.
Always make sure that the tires are inflated
Model with Longitudinally Installed Engine
Tread variance for models with a longitudinally installed
engine, such as A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, ...
In this case, the variance between the front and r
Tires, Rolling Noises, General Information
Rolling noise perceived by the human ear is caused by
vibrations transmitted from the noise source to the ear via the
air.
Here we are interested in noises
SEE MORE:
General information
Make sure that:
The distance between your upper body and the
steering wheel is at least 10 inches (25 cm)
Your arms are bent slightly at the elbows
You have a sufficient view of the area around
the vehicle and you have a clear view of the instrument
cluster and head-up dis
General information
Applies to: vehicles with remote park assist plus
Remote controlled parking is part of park assist
plus. The process for parking or exiting a parking
space can be controlled with a mobile device
from outside the vehicle. To do so, the driver
must have both the vehicle key an