OK, so I always check the tire pressure when I get a new car: they frequently ship with different pressure and the dealer, well, I've never seen a truly thorough dealer

Anyways, back to this: when I picked it up, the tires read at 37 psi and the manual said 36/37, so I figured "works for me"

I happened to read the sticker this weekend, however, and it says 46

(Yes, 46 psi, 10 more than what the manual says)

I asked Audi NA and they said the door is the "right answer" (though even the guy on the phone admitted that sounded really high.)

What do you guys think? Should I pump it up to 46? Or should I harass the dealer when I go in for my 5K service in a couple of weeks?

 

That seems really high. What does an actual tire list for max inflation pressure? I would never go higher than what the tire says.

I am not sure but were you looking at fully loaded maximum tire pressure or regular day-to-day pressures?

Your owners manual will have a table that shows tires sizes and engine combinations. For my year, '08, nothing went higher than 41 PSI and that was for a fully laden 3.2 .

I say stick with the 37 till you get this all sorted.

 

Bought a 2011 A3 TDi with Sport package including the 18" wheels and Bridgestone RE05A tires.

Like above, I also check the tires as one of the first things of ownership and found them at delivery with inconsistent pressures across all 4,
so I looked on the door jamb = 46 PSI front, 44 PSI rear
But the owners' manual states = 35 PSI front, 30 PSI rear
(photos att.)

Shortly thereafter I got a nail flat and the tire repair is an authrized Bridgestone seller whose book states:
41 PSI all around.

I'm confused.
What PSI should I run 225/40R18 Bridgestone RE05A tires?


Note: it is usually just myself in the car

 

I've got the Continental Contisport Contact 2 : I did my 5,000 mile service this week and the dealer actually did the research to find out what they're supposed to be and confirmed that the sticker is "right" : 46 front, 44 rear.

I'm remembering back to the firestone/rolling over ford problem from a few years back: the tire manufacturer said that the auto manufacturer got to decide what pressure they should be in. I'm worried that 46 seems really freakin' high, but I'm willing to go with Audi on it, so they can pay for it if they fail prematurely.

 

A distinct possibility; one of mine had to be replaced at my 5,000 mile service last July, as it had a bulge on the inner sidewall. And yesterday, I had to have a puncture repaired on one of the others; FYI these tires don't have the Conti-seal self-sealing feature.

I've been keeping mine around 40 psi, high enough so that the TPMS doesn't go off. That's how I discovered the puncture -- I kept having to top up one tire a couple times a week.

 

The 2011 A3 uses the ABS system to conduct TPMS, and is easy to reset from the dashboard after you fill tires (SYSTEM->SET...).
One of the best reasons to buy a 2011.
I hear about many TPMS problems across many brands beacause of those transducers in their wheel stem mounting.