Tyre valves on an RS6.

[Steve123]

I’m embarrassed to say it, but having never had a dashboard warning I only ever visually checked my tyres for the correct pressures. Having then received a dashboard warning I attended to the tyre. The plastic valve caps had seized on all of them thus requiring the use of pliers. It seems that the valves themselves had corroded, so I gently cleaned them with a suede shoe wire brush and them smeared them with Vaseline. I then corrected three of the tyres and put the valve caps back. The fourth valve would not accept a cap ( it just kept turning) ; nor would it accept the air pump nozzle.   Is it possible to have the valves replaced whilst the tyres are still on the car ?

[Magnet]

Hello Steve,

Good on you for actually checking and adjusting your tyre pressures, rather than depending on the TPMS. Old fashioned probably, but I don’t like TPMS, since it’s not unusual to experience corrosion around the valve seats, and certainly the valve caps if someone has fitted ‘fancy’ caps at some time. I’m surprised that ordinary plastic caps have caused corrosion - they shouldn’t do, whereas metallic ones always do. Do yours have some sort of metal threaded insert covered in plastic? Worth a careful look. If so throw them all away. 
Renewing valves? Tyre has to come off, and obviously rebalancing will be necessary. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Steve123]

Hello Gareth, I’m a surprised as you that plastic valves caps corroded onto the valve. Perhaps there was an element of metal in them ? In any event I’m replacing them all at £65.00 plus vat per valve.  When I first spoke to National Tyre Services ( now owned by Halfords, I believe) I didn’t have the car with me and they said that they’d replace one free of charge. I guess that replacing all four changed their mind just a bit !  Incidentally, they couldn’t source them from anyone’s stock, so I’ve got to wait for them to be delivered to NTS.   Audi had them in stock but refused to let NTS have them.

Cheers, Steve.

[Steve123]

1 minute ago, Steve123 said:

Hello Gareth, I’m a surprised as you that plastic valves caps corroded onto the valve. Perhaps there was an element of metal in them ? In any event I’m replacing them all at £65.00 plus vat per valve.  When I first spoke to National Tyre Services ( now owned by Halfords, I believe) I didn’t have the car with me and they said that they’d replace one free of charge. I guess that replacing all four changed their mind just a bit !  Incidentally, they couldn’t source them from anyone’s stock, so I’ve got to wait for them to be delivered to NTS.   Audi had them in stock but refused to let NTS have them.

Cheers, Steve.

Oh yes, I should have said. Since I own a few cars I’ve invested in a battery powered tyre inflator. It’s no bigger than a cordless drill and will pump up , through not from flat , about twelve tyres. Cheers, Steve.