the result of over engineering. A simple flat tire on an Audi turned into a half-hour ordeal involving fault scans, resets, and drive cycles

“This is why no one wants to work at a dealership anymore. … you'd think you'd be able to pull this car in, take the nail out, put a plug in, and send it on its way, but no.”

When a nail punctures a tire, it doesn't just trigger the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). In modern cars, particularly high-tech vehicles like Audis, a single low-pressure reading ripples through interconnected safety systems. Wheel-speed sensors used by the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability control feed tire pressure data throughout the car. If one tire spins faster due to low pressure, the ABS control computer registers it as under-inflation. It can trigger faults in stability control, traction control, adaptive cruise, and even parking brake modules.

Techs—whether at dealerships or independent shops—are increasingly frustrated by the rise of “software creep.” What used to be a straightforward tire plug-and-inflate operation now necessitates deep software engagements, including scanning the car’s systems, erasing fault codes, and conducting calibration drive cycles.

this is how manufacturers get around the ‘right to repair’ act, claiming ‘oh you don’t need to take your truck to a dealer, you just need a $700 special tool that only the dealer sells’.”

That comment nails the issue: today’s “push‑button diagnostics” have replaced much of the wrench-turning with multi-step digital procedures. A job as simple as fixing a tire requires software, special tools, registered access, and patience.

https://www.motor1.com/news/763868/audi-nail-in-tire-fail/