2018 Audi Q5

I'VE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE WHEN BACKING UP AND THE PRESENCE GOING OFF WITHOUT A REASON. WHEN BACKING UP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE SENSORS WILL BEEP AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO GRINDING STOP. WHEN I CHECK THE AREA, THERE ARE NO VEHICLES, PERSON, OR OBJECTS IN THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY, WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE PRE SENSE WENT OFF WHEN NO VEHICLES WERE AROUND AND SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN AT A RAPID RATE. TWICE WHEN DRIVING, THE PRE SENSE WILL ACTIVATE AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THERE ARE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT, BEHIND, OR BESIDE ME.

THIS IS NOT AN URGENT SAFETY ISSUE, BUT JUST A DUMB DECISION THAT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED. IT IS ALSO LIMITED TO DRIVERS UTILIZING HITCH OR OTHER REAR-ATTACHMENTS. THERE ARE CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE THE PARKING SENSORS CAN BE TOLD TO STOP BEEPING, BUT THAT ACTION ALSO DISABLES THE BACKUP CAMERA, WHICH IS NEEDED. THERE IS NO MECHANISM TO TURN OFF THE BEEPING AND KEEP THE BACKUP CAMERA ON. SERVICE CENTERS HAVE CONFIRMED THIS. THE MAIN SCENARIO WHERE THIS IS A PROBLEM IS WHERE THERE IS SOMETHING CONNECTED TO A HITCH, SUCH AS A BIKE RACK THAT MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO THINK THAT THERE'S AN OBJECT DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE. THESE BACKUP SENSORS ARE UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A HITCH-BASED MOUNT (WITHOUT POWER CONNECTED) AND SOMETHING THAT IS LEGITIMATELY TOO CLOSE WHILE REVERSING. WHEN POWER IS CONNECTED, SUCH AS WITH AN ACTUAL TRAILER TO SUPPLY POWER TO BRAKE LIGHTS, THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT THE BACKUP WARNINGS WILL BE DISABLED AUTOMATICALLY. BUT WHEN SOMETHING LIKE A HITCH-BASED BIKE RACK IS ATTACHED THAT DOESN'T NEED POWER, THE WARNING ALARM SOUNDS CONTINUOUSLY WHILE BACKING UP. THIS IS ANNOYING, AND FOR PASSENGERS IN THE BACK IS ACTUALLY EXTREMELY LOUD. TURNING OFF THE ALARM DISABLES THE CAMERA AS WELL, WHICH IS....LESS THAN IDEAL AT LEAST. THE DESIRED MODE SHOULD BE TO TURN OFF THE ALARM WHILE KEEPING THE BACKUP CAMERA ACTIVE DURING THE ENTIRE REVERSING PROCESS. THE BEEPING WILL STOP AUTOMATICALLY ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTS MOVING FORWARD FASTER THAN SOMETHING LIKE 6MPH. HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN AGAIN, IT MAY START A CONTINUOUS TONE ALARM AGAIN DUE TO THIS HITCH ATTACHMENT. PLEASE HELP AUDI REALIZE THAT DISABLING THE CAMERA IS INAPPROPRIATE.

THE VEHICLE CAN, AT TIMES, SOUND ALARMS INDICATING A RISK OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT WHEN THERE IS NO RISK PRESENT. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR WHILE STOPPED. MY GUESS IS THAT THIS IS DUE TO SIMILAR SAFETY SENSORS INSTALLED ON OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WHICH MY CAR MAY MISTAKE FOR SIGNALS FROM ITS OWN. I HAVE NOTICES THIS OCCURRING AROUND TESLAS MOSTLY, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED AROUND OTHER MAKES/MODELS AS WELL BUT THOSE ARE MORE RARE. THIS PROBLEM HAS SPECIFICALLY HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MORE THAN ONCE, AND HAS HAPPEND ALSO WHILE SITTING STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHILE NOT MOVING. I WAS NOT (IN MY OPINION) DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO OTHER VEHICLES AT THE TIME. HOW THE CAR REACTS IN THIS SITUATION IS TO BEEP LOUDLY, HALT ALL AUDIO (E.G. RADIO), AND CHANGE THE CENTER CONSOLE VIEW TO A MODE WHERE THE CAR IS ATTEMPTING TO SHOW HOW CLOSE OBJECTS ARE TO IT. THIS VIEW IS NORMALLY DISPLAYED WHILE PULLING INTO OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND IS NOT NORMAL FOR IT TO TRIGGER WHILE DRIVING, OR WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. THIS MAY BE RELATED TO A FEATURE CALLED PRE-SENSE BUT I AM UNSURE IF THAT IS THE CASE. IT MAY SIMPLY BE SENSORS FROM OTHER CARS THAT TRIGGER CERTAIN SAFETY WARNINGS IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY SHOULDN'T BE TRIGGERED IN THIS MANNER. I HAVE NOT KEPT A LOG OF THESE INCIDENTS, SO I DO NOT HAVE EXACT SPEEDS OR DATES TO LIST (I PUT ONE ON THE FORM SINCE IT WAS REQUIRED.) BUT EVERY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED IT HAS BEEN A FALSE POSITIVE. I HAVE HAD A SERVICE SHOP AT THE AUDI DEALER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE IT. I DOUBT THEY WOULD BUT I WANTED SOME DOCUMENTATION THAT SHOWED I HAD OBSERVED ODD BEHAVIOR IN THE PAST IN THE EVENT THAT THE CAR TAKES AN EVASIVE ACTION ON MY BEHALF THAT RESULTS IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD - ESPECIALLY IT IT WAS DONE IN ERROR.

A FEATURE CALLED REAR CROSS-TRAFFIC ASSIST TRIGGERS ERRONEOUSLY SOMETIMES. THE FEATURE IS DESIGNED TO DETECT OBJECTS SUCH AS CARS OR PEDESTRIANS THAT MAY BE MOVING BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHILE IT IS REVERSING. THE DEFAULT ACTION IS TO ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE, WHICH IS A VERY JARRING EXPERIENCE AND LEADS THE DRIVER TO BELIEVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. OF THE TIMES THIS SYSTEM HAS TRIGGERED, OVER 50% SEEM TO BE FALSE POSITIVES; HOWEVER, SOMETIMES IT DOES TRIGGER AS INTENDED. IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT CONDITIONS MUST BE PRESENT FOR A FALSE POSITIVE TO OCCUR. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WHILE REVERSING IN PARKING LOTS, EITHER INTO OR OUT OF SPACES. SPEEDS ARE USUALLY AROUND 1-6 MPH. IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE OWNING THE CAR, BUT I HAVE NOT KEPT A LOG INDICATING HOW OFTEN OR OTHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME. I HAVE ASKED MY AUDI SERVICE CENTER ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DISABLE THIS AND IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THERE'S A WAY TO SELECTIVELY TURN THIS EXACT SAFETY FEATURE OFF. THE OWNERS MANUAL ADMITS THAT IT'S NOT A FOOL PROOF SYSTEM.

I WAS DRIVING 65 MILES AN HOUR ON I-95 IN THE LEFT LANE APPROACHING THE EXIT FOR I-695 NORTH ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 4TH AT 5:00PM. IT WAS RAINING. NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME OR BEHIND ME WHEN MY CAR DASH LIT UP WITH AN AUDI PRE SENSE RED SIGN ON A BLACK BACKGROUND. THE BRAKES STOPPED THE CAR SUDDENLY ON THEIR OWN AND MY SEAT BELT SLAMMED ME TIGHTLY INTO MY SEAT. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MULTI CAR ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NOTHING VISIBLE ON THE ROAD TO SET THIS SYSTEM OFF. MONDAY MORNING I WENT TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD DISCONNECT THIS SYSTEM SINCE I WAS NOW AFRAID THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND I WOULD NOT BE SO LUCKY WITH THE TRAFFIC SITUATION THE NEXT TIME. THEY LOWERED THE SENSITIVITY BUT THEY COULD NOT DISCONNECT THE SYSTEM. I ALSO CALLED AUDI TO INFORM THEM ABOUT THIS HAZARD. THEY NOTED IT ON THEIR RECORD BUT SAID IT IS PART OF THE CAR AND IT COULD NOT BE DISCONNECTED. WHEN I LOOKED ON LINE THERE WERE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM; HOWEVER NONE OF THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY FULL SPEED AHEAD. CAN THIS PROBLEM BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE'S CAR CAUSES A MAJOR PILEUP WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THANK YOU! *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 AUDI Q5. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO A STAIRWAY RAIL OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE CONTACT CALLED AUDI LIVERMORE (3400 LAS POSITAS RD, LIVERMORE, CA 94551) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

AUDI USA ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE WHEEL WELLS OF MY CAR, AND DESPITE MY REPEATED ATTEMPTS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET AUDI SAN FRANCISCO TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR, THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED MY CALLS OR SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I'M CONCERNED THAT I'M DRIVING AROUND WITH A SAFETY ISSUE, AND AUDI SAN FRANCISCO DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE OR TO BE LIVING UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX SAFETY RECALL ISSUES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

1.I HAD AN ACCIDENT AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 A.M. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 IN THE PARKING LOT FOR THE MEDICAL OFFICES LOCATED AT 2000 SOUTH MAYS STREET, ROUND ROCK, TEXAS. 2.I PARKED IN A SPACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS PART OF THEIR PROPERTY. 3.MY NORMAL HABIT IS TO PLACE THE CAR IN 'PARK' WHEN I STOP IN A PARKING SPOT. 4.SINCE IT WAS VERY WARM, I LEFT THE MOTOR RUNNING SO I'D HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AS I PLACED THE SUN SCREEN OVER THE WINDSHIELD. 5.THE SUN SHADE IS ONE PIECE AND TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO PROPERLY INSTALL. 6.WHEN I COMPLETED INSTALLING THE SUN SHADE, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS MOVING BACKWARDS AT LESS THAN 5 MPH. 7.I TRIED REPEATEDLY TO STOP THE CAR BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND SLAMMING ON THE BRAKE. 8.WHAT WAS HAPPENING MADE NO SENSE TO ME; IT WAS SURREAL. WHY WAS THE CAR MOVING BACKWARDS AND WHY COULDN'T I STOP THE CAR? 9.THE CAR STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A PARKING LOT LIGHT POLE ON MY LEFT REAR AND THE LEFT FRONT OF A TOYOTA ON MY RIGHT REAR. 10.THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH EVERY PRE SENSE, DRIVER ASSISTANCE, AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM AUDI OFFERS; HOWEVER, ALL SYSTEMS FAILED TO DETECT OR AVOID THE COLLISION. 11.THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY SOME WEIRD PROBLEM WITH MY 2018 AUDI Q5. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO IN THE TIME I HAD WITHOUT THE BRAKES WORKING.

ON JULY 16, 2019 WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 2018 AUDI A5 ONE OF THE RIMS BLOW OFF (CRACKED) FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE WAS NOT INJURED SINCE IT WAS THE REAR RIM, SHE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. THERE IS NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE RIM OR TIRE TYPICAL MARKS WHEN YOU HIT POTHOLE ON THE ROAD. I BELIEVE IT IS MANUFACTURE ISSUE OF THE RIMS. I SENT WRITTEN COMPLIANT REGARDING SAFETY OF DRIVING THIS CAR TO AUDI USA AND ASKED FOR INVESTIGATION. KNOWING THE OTHER THREE RIMS ARE FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURE BATCH I WOULD EXPECT AUDI USA WILL AT LEAST INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE. AFTER ALMOST FOUR WEEKS I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY REPRESENTATIVE FROM AUDI CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER THAT COMPLAIN I FILED HAS BEEN DECLINE BASE OF TWO EVIDENCES. EVIDENCE ONE: PICTURES I PROVIDED AND EVIDENCE TWO: MY FEEDBACK FROM VISITING THE AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALER CHOSEN BY AUDI CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER THE PERSON I VISITED EVEN DIDN'T ASK FOR MY NAME, CHECK THE VIN # OR MILES ON THE CAR ALL WHAT HE ASK DO YOU PURCHASED ADDITIONAL INSURANCE FOR RIMS AND TIERS.