AudiForums.com - 2014 Q5 Rattle/Creaking

Hi,

If anyone could give me their thoughts on any similar experiences and how it was ultimately resolved, or advice on how to proceed to get this resolved, I would be very grateful.

I ordered my 2015 Q5 TDI SLine the day the order banks opened. Almost six months later I took possession (it was stuck in production). I was very happy with it and it was worth the wait. Less than a month later an error message appeared: Antenna conection error return to dealer. Satellite was out. So, I returned to the dealer and after about a week of trouble shooting and consulting with the factory, it was determined that the problem was a defective antenna.

The antenna was replaced and the vehicle was returned to me, but I noticed a creaking/rattle sound from the rear cargo area. Most frequently on uneven stretches of road, turns/weight shifts, inclines/declines.

I returned to the dealer and let them know that my previously quiet vehicle was now creaking/rattling. A service tech took a ride with me and heard the same noises. I was told the panels may have been tightened too much and they would address the problem. To add insult to injury, they gave me a 2013 Q5 as a loaner that had many thousands of miles on it but yet was quite like my Q5 had been before the repair.

When I picked up my Q5 a few days later, they had taken care of about 80% of the noise and I figured I would settle for that and not take it back. But, the noise continued to get worse and returned to the previous noise level and frequency.

I sent an email the the service manager and also spoke with the salesman who sold me my car to have him do what he could to help get this resolved. I was a little steamed that I had waited so long for the vehicle, only to have a defect (which I was patient to have repaired), my car out of service for over a week and then have them create a new problem when servicing my vehicle, which they still had not fixed.

When I went in for the second time to get the problem fixed, both the service manager and the tech that originally worked on the car took a test drive with me and verified that the noise was still present. They determined that they would add insulation to the panels. I got a call a day later and was told that the service manager, the tech and the service counter guy all drove in the Q5 and the problem was gone.

I drove the car from the lot and before I got home (I live 45 minutes away) could hear the same noise at the same level and frequency as before. I had to take a road trip the next day about 8 hours away to Riverside CA and the noise plagued me the whole trip. I stopped at a dealer there to see what they could do. My question to them was essentially: Is this an Audi USA issue or a dealer issue due to poor workmanship? I didn't want another dealer to work on the car if it was a workmanship issue. The first step for them was to see what was in the vehicle history. They ran my vin and found no record of any warranty work having been done. No record of any work having been done. This is now almost two months from the date of the antenna service. I asked that dealer if it seemed above board that no record was on file. They were circumspect but told me that I should have that resolved.

After all this time and grief, I was done working with the dealer and called Audi USA. I essentially presented the following issues:

Warranty item was repaired and antenna replaced resulting in a noise issue. Work was not documented by dealer. Two additional attempts to repair the issue were unsuccessful. I have no desire (even at the point of a gun) to return to the dealer who created the issue. Please resolve the warranty/repair documentation and direct me to a dealer who can resolve the issue. As a side note, I asked the rep if there is any legitimate reason that the dealer would not have documented warranty repair work even after one months time had elapsed. The rep had no answer for me other than maybe they were busy but that is not standard protocol.

So, for those of you patient enough to read through this lengthy post. How many service attempts do I need to go through before its determined the problem can't be fixed? I know this isn't an exact science, but what can I expect? And at that point, what is the next step? I just want to be able to enjoy my Q5 and have the noise fixed, but if it can't be fixed, what are my options?

Thanks very much!