TPMS videos Audi tried to ban

ERJ staff report (DS)

Cyberspace -- Audi has tried to ban a series of videos posted on YouTube. The videos shows that the tyre pressure monitoring system fitted to an Audi car in the United States will not, under the right conditions, display a warning, even when all four tyres are completely deflated. The car in question is a 2009 model A6, fitted with an indirect tyre pressure monitoring system.

This is one of the first vehicles to be allowed to use an indirect system in the United States since 2008, where all previous vehicles have been required to use direct systems. The TPMS system supplied by Audi subsidiary Nira, is said to offer performance equal to direct systems.

The first video, posted by user TheArcadiaman, shows an anonymous user first deflating all four runflat tyres. Then the operator uses the car's user interface to re-set the TPMS system. The car is then driven for 45 minutes at speeds up to 100 kph. The dash does not display any warning.

Further videos show how the system fails to warn a driver both at engine switch-on, and for around 45 minutes after the tyre pressure is down by 25 percent.

Audi has successfully had the videos removed from YouTube in Germany, but they are available to view in other parts of the world.

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First YouTube video from TheArcadiaman (all four tyres at 0 pressure)

Second YouTube video from TheArcadiaman (no warning at 25 percent deflation)

Third YouTube video from TheArcadiaman (compares indirect TPMS on $54 000 A6 with direct system on a $15 000 Chevrolet Cobalt)