B9- RS5- Looking to Upgrade Suspension

[slyryan]

Hello All, I’m looking for the best suspension setup for both ride quality and handling. I currently have H&R lowering springs but it’s a bit bouncy for my liking. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

[wwhan]

Hello All, I’m looking for the best suspension setup for both ride quality and handling. I currently have H&R lowering springs but it’s a bit bouncy for my liking. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

Do you have DRC? That would be a reason for the bouncy ride (the DRC dampers do not dampen enough). My stock RS5 DRC is bouncy.

One could delete the DRC shocks and use the stock shocks or get some coilovers (ABT) to reduce the bouncy ride.

Audi B9 RS5 ABT Coilover Suspension System (8W605024210) vehicles with DRC, DRC will be deactivated: https://www.vividracing.com/esc-modu...151904128.html

"The article is KW68510476 and must be ordered separately. Without this shutdown set it will come to error massages": https://www.vividracing.com/esc-modu...151904128.html

I am not sure if this KW68510476 really works on DRC since there is no mention of hydraulic lines here: Installation Instructions: ea-KWGFwEA-h68510476.pdf

KW Coilover Kit V3, Audi RS5 (B9) Coupe, Sportback; With DRC: https://www.kwsuspensions.com/produc...-352100cj.html

It appears that the H&R lowering springs & the ABT HAS both have progressive spring rate .

Check with the reviews on the ABT HAS, to see IF the ABT progressive spring rate is less bouncy. I don't know.

https://tagmotorsports.com/hr-springs-audi-rs5-b9

https://tagmotorsports.com/abt-heigh...9-a4-s4-s5-rs5

[slyryan]

Thanks for the reply. I do have DRC and need to keep the suspension in comfort mode for a better ride quality. Not sure if you know but are the ABT coilovers going to give me the same ride quality as the H&R springs? I’m looking for a nice and pleasant ride.

[Mops@Nemesis]

@jimminez@nemesis

[slyryan]

Thanks Mops. I sent you a PM earlier.

[vsaudi]

I have DRC and installed the abt has. Indeed the comfort is less bouncy and the dynamic is less harsh. It seems the stiffer springs help all around.
Really like the ride after spring install. Got the springs from Martin at nemesis.
Also running Eurocode sway bars on stiff front and back.


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[wwhan]

I have DRC and installed the abt has. Indeed the comfort is less bouncy and the dynamic is less harsh. It seems the stiffer springs help all around.
Really like the ride after spring install. Got the springs from Martin at nemesis.
Also running Eurocode sway bars on stiff front and back. ..

Did you install the Eurocode sway bars the same time as the ABT HAS? That might affect it also.

[vsaudi]

Did you install the Eurocode sway bars the same time as the ABT HAS? That might affect it also.

Installed at different times. The sway bars did not cure the bounce. They did however cure the excessive rearend roll


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[coolwater]

I have DRC and installed the abt has. Indeed the comfort is less bouncy and the dynamic is less harsh. It seems the stiffer springs help all around.
Really like the ride after spring install. Got the springs from Martin at nemesis.
Also running Eurocode sway bars on stiff front and back.


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Did you have to adjust/reprogram any sensors to account for the lower ride height? ACC still works fine?

-cW


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[vsaudi]

Did you have to adjust/reprogram any sensors to account for the lower ride height? ACC still works fine?

-cW


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No reprogramming. Everything working fine.


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[Dr. Jekyll]

No reprogramming. Everything working fine.


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Same here. I didn't get an ACC alignment and everything still works fine.

[coolwater]

Good to know. I may get the itch to lower it soon. Black Friday sales upcoming I’m sure.

-cW


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[coolwater]

Hello All, I’m looking for the best suspension setup for both ride quality and handling. I currently have H&R lowering springs but it’s a bit bouncy for my liking. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

Any pics of your drop? Interested to see how much lower than stock it is.

-cW


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[nefkntym]

I am interested in seeing the drop as well.

[wwhan]

I have DRC and installed the abt has. Indeed the comfort is less bouncy and the dynamic is less harsh. It seems the stiffer springs help all around.
Really like the ride after spring install.....

If the ABT HAS with DRC in comfort is less bouncy and the dynamic is less harsh, then the progressive spring rate is less stiff than OEM stock.

[vsaudi]

This might give you an idea of 1”drop on abt has


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[djmika]

Bringing an old thread back to life! I just bought a 2019 RS5 with DRC. I really didn't plan to lower, or do much of anything to it except wheels but I'm curious to hear from people who bought the ABT HAS kit for cars with DRC after living with it for a while.

Just lowering the car may not be enough for me to decide to move on this. If it really does effectively address the issues with ride quality, that's a different story. My experience is that Dynamic mode is nearly unusable, at least on California roads and highways. Maybe on the Autobahn? Comfort feels very under-damped to me. The car becomes unsettled too easily, especially over long, ramping bumps. I've found that driving the car in Auto mode is best for me but I still don't think the suspension is as well tuned as a car like this should be. I wouldn't want to lose any ride quality but in the threads where ABT HAS is mentioned, the consensus seems to be that ABT worked hard to improve things across the board. So, I would love some long term feedback if anyone is able to provide it!

Thanks in advance.

[Dan99]

Bringing an old thread back to life! I just bought a 2019 RS5 with DRC. I really didn't plan to lower, or do much of anything to it except wheels but I'm curious to hear from people who bought the ABT HAS kit for cars with DRC after living with it for a while.

Just lowering the car may not be enough for me to decide to move on this. If it really does effectively address the issues with ride quality, that's a different story. My experience is that Dynamic mode is nearly unusable, at least on California roads and highways. Maybe on the Autobahn? Comfort feels very under-damped to me. The car becomes unsettled too easily, especially over long, ramping bumps. I've found that driving the car in Auto mode is best for me but I still don't think the suspension is as well tuned as a car like this should be. I wouldn't want to lose any ride quality but in the threads where ABT HAS is mentioned, the consensus seems to be that ABT worked hard to improve things across the board. So, I would love some long term feedback if anyone is able to provide it!

Thanks in advance.

I don't have the ABT HAS suspension, but the 1" lowering raised a red flag for me. My stock 2019 RS5 SB has bottomed out hard on a speed bump, and will scrape on some steeper driveway/road intersections. I now approach obstacles like this much more slowly and at an angle to avoid scraping. A 1" lower chassis would make this even worse.

Regarding ride quality, I agree that Auto is best for the street. I only use Dynamic on the track (where the harshness disappears) and for things like Autocross, and reserve Comfort for a load of passengers. But, tire pressure has a big impact on the ride quality in any of these modes. Start with tire pressure in the manual, instead of those on the door, if you have not done so already. The pressure settings on the door are for a maximum load and make the ride worse than it should be for anything less. For example, my door says 41/41 but the manual says 38/32 for my tires and wheels. It also says 41/36 for my tires and wheels if I had the Dynamic Plus Package.

Regarding the suspension tuning, my car's handling is also greatly impacted by tire pressure. At 41/41 my car is all over the road; at 38/32 in the oem Continentals the ride was much better but the front tires scraped a bit when driving aggressively in turns. I ended up with 39/32. When I switched to Michelin PS4S tires I ended up with 41/35. With these pressures, I get slight understeer in Comfort, balanced handling in Auto with the ability to kick the rear end out somewhat with the throttle, and I get slight oversteer in Dynamic with normal driving and even more oversteer with the throttle. I also had to have my car re-aligned shortly after delivery as it did not handle the same going left vs right and it wandered a bit on the highway. The alignment solved those problems for me. At his point, my car goes where I point it and I can determine how much under or oversteer I want with Drive Select. And, if I value ride quality over handling, I can go back to 38/32 and get a much softer ride.

You did not say if you had a Coupe or Sportback, or what tires you have, so you may need different settings than I use. But, if you have not experimented with tire pressure you should start there and see if that helps.

If you have done all of that and still go with the suspension modifications, let us know how you like it.

[djmika]

Dan,

Thanks for the response. I have a Sportback. And right now I'm running ~41 all around because the dealer set it so I can certainly try different tire pressures. But the bottom line is, this isn't about harshness so much as it is spring rates and damping which I think is what most of the "discussion" about DRC relates to. We have so little sidewall that IMO, the only relatively small difference tire pressure can make will have to do with feel, specifically imperfections in the road and harshness of the ride. That's not a particular concern for me. It's the car's tendency to feel fairly under-damped in comfort and somewhat more subtly under-damped in auto. I also think the general complaint of a "bouncy" ride is rooted in the same issue.

ABT interests me because my perception is that they're as close to accepted by Audi as there is. Something like Dinan for BMW. And it sounds like they may have worked with Audi to achieve success when it comes to their packages. My admittedly uneducated guess about the ABT HAS kit for cars with DRC is that they've carefully designed springs with multiple rates that work well with stock damping. So say the top 1/4" of travel is soft for comfort but after that, the rate is stiffer than stock, the car could feel fairly different throughout the range of travel and may afford better damping and control throughout. As to why Audi wouldn't have done this from the factory, my only guess would be cost. I think that, stock springs vs. the HAS, its apparent that the HAS kit costs more.

My thoughts, anyway.

Thanks,

MB

[kmarei]

Thanks for the reply. I do have DRC and need to keep the suspension in comfort mode for a better ride quality. Not sure if you know but are the ABT coilovers going to give me the same ride quality as the H&R springs? I’m looking for a nice and pleasant ride.

try setting the suspension in auto mode
its firmer than comfort, but not crazy hard and bouncy like dynamic

in my opinion the worst thing about dynamic mode is the crazy hard and bouncy suspension
bad thing is, it makes dynamic rarely used, which means you don't hear the exhaust valves open all the time
wish exhaust valves was a setting in individual

[djmika]

Thanks. I do run the car in "auto" mode almost all the time. And it is better than either other mode but still not quite right. Over uneven surfaces the car still loses composure...

I'm really hoping to get feedback from people who've modified the suspension, namely those who use something like the ABT HAS kit. I've heard in passing that it may help but I'm still yet to have anyone offer a solid analysis of the difference. I think there are at least a handful of people on here who've done this mod...

MB

[Dan99]

Dan,

Thanks for the response. I have a Sportback. And right now I'm running ~41 all around because the dealer set it so I can certainly try different tire pressures. But the bottom line is, this isn't about harshness so much as it is spring rates and damping which I think is what most of the "discussion" about DRC relates to. We have so little sidewall that IMO, the only relatively small difference tire pressure can make will have to do with feel, specifically imperfections in the road and harshness of the ride. That's not a particular concern for me. It's the car's tendency to feel fairly under-damped in comfort and somewhat more subtly under-damped in auto. I also think the general complaint of a "bouncy" ride is rooted in the same issue.

ABT interests me because my perception is that they're as close to accepted by Audi as there is. Something like Dinan for BMW. And it sounds like they may have worked with Audi to achieve success when it comes to their packages. My admittedly uneducated guess about the ABT HAS kit for cars with DRC is that they've carefully designed springs with multiple rates that work well with stock damping. So say the top 1/4" of travel is soft for comfort but after that, the rate is stiffer than stock, the car could feel fairly different throughout the range of travel and may afford better damping and control throughout. As to why Audi wouldn't have done this from the factory, my only guess would be cost. I think that, stock springs vs. the HAS, its apparent that the HAS kit costs more.

My thoughts, anyway.

Thanks,

MB

My dealer sets it at 41/41, which is the setting on the door and the setting in the manual for a full load (5 passengers). The manual gives different settings based on load and tire size. If your manual is the same as mine, try 38/32 which is for 20" wheels. The ride will be noticeably different. Maybe it will be enough and maybe not, but it's a lot less expensive than new springs. And, your car will handle better - the rear end will be more planted and the front will go where you want it to go. Post #18 goes into this in more detail.

[vsaudi]

Thanks. I do run the car in "auto" mode almost all the time. And it is better than either other mode but still not quite right. Over uneven surfaces the car still loses composure...

I'm really hoping to get feedback from people who've modified the suspension, namely those who use something like the ABT HAS kit. I've heard in passing that it may help but I'm still yet to have anyone offer a solid analysis of the difference. I think there are at least a handful of people on here who've done this mod...

MB

I have the ABT HAS springs installed with drc.
Like the ride ride way better than stock. While I don’t have analysis on spring rates and dampening. It seems that springs are a little stiffer and ride is less harsh in dynamic which I run most of the time.
Lowered ride height about 1”
Install is not that hard. Tricky elements are:
1. front shock top nut 21mm. Use impact wrench to get off. Tried Allen wrench and cutout socket. No go.
2. Holding front shock up as hydraulic lines are not removed when changing springs. Used my floor jack with towel to hold shock up to remove springs. Tension was not that high and used the normal compression tool.
3. Rear drc cables. Used depinning tool and it was pretty easy.
4. Had trouble getting socket (10pt star?) for lower suspension but used normal socket and it gripped enough to get loose after marking suspension with marker. Had alignment done after install just to make sure.


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[vsaudi]

PS. Also changed out sway bars for Eurocode with end links set on middle position.


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[JohnEnglish]

034 has said they're looking into a suspension package to address the bouncy ride on the RS5 with DRC.

[Lensch09]

034 has said they're looking into a suspension package to address the bouncy ride on the RS5 with DRC.

Well, that's funny. My car is going to 034 (ZTF in San Jose) to get ABT HAS installed next week - I'm sure they're taking notes LOL

Also, correct p/n for ABT HAS for a sportback RS5 with DSC is 8W605023110.

-DL

[djmika]

I've decided on MSS Suspension for my 2019 RS5 with DRC. I did a ton of research and for me, it was either this or ABT. I really like what MSS is doing so I'm going to give it a shot. Hoping to have it installed next week and will certainly report back with results!

[vsaudi]

I went with abt has and Eurocode sway bars on suspension.
Have found the ride and cornering much more to my liking.
Ride height lowered about an inch. After two years rear has settled another 1/2”
Only real issue I have experienced is after driving awhile adjusting the collars back to previous height is difficult to to dirt on threads.
My theory is with stiffer springs and sway bars the drc doesn’t have to increase dampening on shocks as much when hitting bumps. Feels less harsh.


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[lucky71351]

I have 2 5 series Audi's, 2018 S-5. & a 2019 RS 5. I love the S-5 I said when I saw the first S-5 coupe if they ever make this car in the sportback, I want it. 2018 I had my car. I have a chip upgrade. I think this is the best car.... EVER. Ive had 911s S-7s & Panameras. I thought that the RS 5 would be even better.

For the most part it is. I bought a 2019 w 9K miles. It had 2 previous owners, but I DIDNT THINK ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. I wanted that car. It had everything on it. After the first few drives I noticed that the suspension was quite bouncy. In any mode. IT seemed that in comfort or Dynamic it was worse than Auto. My description is bobbleheads. When hitting bumps your head jostled on your shoulders like a bobble head. And when at high speed, and maybe in a curve, hitting anything in the road, the suspension jolts from 1 corner to the other, making the car unstable. Of course you can never reproduce the issue on a road test. Its like going to the dentist w a toothache. So my description is purposing. I can feel it more in the rear than the front. I took it to the dealer, whom we are very familiar with. They rode w me and said they didn't see or feel anything wrong w the car. But they did check the suspension & DRC. They found the fluid was a little low as was the pressure. So they drained and refilled the entire DRC system. It cured the bobble head effect, but the car was still bouncy. Its been to the dealer twice and no reward here. I hate driving that car. If it only drove like the S 5. That car is so perfect and Im so disappointed in the RS. Now Ive found this forum adn I see Im not the only disappointed RS owner. I took it to an independent, but Ill save that story for next time. It was another experience.

Going to the dealer 1 more time, But Im not expecting anything.

[kmarei]

I have 2 5 series Audi's, 2018 S-5. & a 2019 RS 5. I love the S-5 I said when I saw the first S-5 coupe if they ever make this car in the sportback, I want it. 2018 I had my car. I have a chip upgrade. I think this is the best car.... EVER. Ive had 911s S-7s & Panameras. I thought that the RS 5 would be even better.

For the most part it is. I bought a 2019 w 9K miles. It had 2 previous owners, but I DIDNT THINK ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. I wanted that car. It had everything on it. After the first few drives I noticed that the suspension was quite bouncy. In any mode. IT seemed that in comfort or Dynamic it was worse than Auto. My description is bobbleheads. When hitting bumps your head jostled on your shoulders like a bobble head. And when at high speed, and maybe in a curve, hitting anything in the road, the suspension jolts from 1 corner to the other, making the car unstable. Of course you can never reproduce the issue on a road test. Its like going to the dentist w a toothache. So my description is purposing. I can feel it more in the rear than the front. I took it to the dealer, whom we are very familiar with. They rode w me and said they didn't see or feel anything wrong w the car. But they did check the suspension & DRC. They found the fluid was a little low as was the pressure. So they drained and refilled the entire DRC system. It cured the bobble head effect, but the car was still bouncy. Its been to the dealer twice and no reward here. I hate driving that car. If it only drove like the S 5. That car is so perfect and Im so disappointed in the RS. Now Ive found this forum adn I see Im not the only disappointed RS owner. I took it to an independent, but Ill save that story for next time. It was another experience.

Going to the dealer 1 more time, But Im not expecting anything.

DRC sucks
I might be in a minority, but out of experience in 2 cars that had this feature.
DRC means it's never right. either too soft and bouncy or firm and bumpy
In my B8.5 the one that had regular springs rode much nicer than the one with DRC
On my E92 M3 the one with regular springs was damn near perfect
The one with the BMW equivalent of DRC, it was either too firm or too bouncy.

I am surprised there is no hack for the DRC
How come we can get into the ecu and change the values and customize it to our liking?
Same for dynamic steering, I'd like that to be locked at the highest ratio

[nefkntym]

I have 2 5 series Audi's, 2018 S-5. & a 2019 RS 5. I love the S-5 I said when I saw the first S-5 coupe if they ever make this car in the sportback, I want it. 2018 I had my car. I have a chip upgrade. I think this is the best car.... EVER. Ive had 911s S-7s & Panameras. I thought that the RS 5 would be even better.

For the most part it is. I bought a 2019 w 9K miles. It had 2 previous owners, but I DIDNT THINK ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. I wanted that car. It had everything on it. After the first few drives I noticed that the suspension was quite bouncy. In any mode. IT seemed that in comfort or Dynamic it was worse than Auto. My description is bobbleheads. When hitting bumps your head jostled on your shoulders like a bobble head. And when at high speed, and maybe in a curve, hitting anything in the road, the suspension jolts from 1 corner to the other, making the car unstable. Of course you can never reproduce the issue on a road test. Its like going to the dentist w a toothache. So my description is purposing. I can feel it more in the rear than the front. I took it to the dealer, whom we are very familiar with. They rode w me and said they didn't see or feel anything wrong w the car. But they did check the suspension & DRC. They found the fluid was a little low as was the pressure. So they drained and refilled the entire DRC system. It cured the bobble head effect, but the car was still bouncy. Its been to the dealer twice and no reward here. I hate driving that car. If it only drove like the S 5. That car is so perfect and Im so disappointed in the RS. Now Ive found this forum adn I see Im not the only disappointed RS owner. I took it to an independent, but Ill save that story for next time. It was another experience.

Going to the dealer 1 more time, But Im not expecting anything.

Save your time and agony with the dealer visits. There is nothing wrong with the car, it is performing as it should be. Does it suck? Absolutely. Unfortunately this a common problem with the RS5s that have DRC. The back especially bounces around like a 90s Honda on cut springs. The best way to get around is to set up individual and set the suspension to auto or replace the suspension altogether.

Back in 2019, we wife and both had 2019 RS5 sportbacks. Hers was a non DRC model and mine was a DRC model. We bought them both brand new on the same day. No time for wear and tear, same same. The suspension on hers (red) with non DRC was great and was as it should be. Mine (green) with the DRC was as you described, a bag of ass.



It sucks, but I ended up replacing my RS5 two more times to get more options. The last one being completely loaded, the DRC issue sucks completely but the car is better than the issue. I have moved on to other things but I still miss the car at times.

[kmarei]

Problem of not getting DRC
Is you don't get the RS sport exhaust.

[VVG]

My understanding is that there was a suspension recalibration with the facelifted B9.5 models. My 2022 with DRC is really pretty good in both comfort and auto. After reading the horror stories, I was very pleasantly surprised. It is still a little bouncy in Dynamic, but not horrible.

[DCB1951]

My understanding is that there was a suspension recalibration with the facelifted B9.5 models. My 2022 with DRC is really pretty good in both comfort and auto. After reading the horror stories, I was very pleasantly surprised. It is still a little bouncy in Dynamic, but not horrible.

Does anyone know if it's possible to retroactively recalibrate a DRC suspension in a B9.0 model?

[JohnEnglish]

Does anyone know if it's possible to retroactively recalibrate a DRC suspension in a B9.0 model?

It's not. The B9.5 and B9 have the same part numbers for all the DRC suspension components. If there was any recalibration for the B9.5, it must have been software only.

[Burrcold]

It's not. The B9.5 and B9 have the same part numbers for all the DRC suspension components. If there was any recalibration for the B9.5, it must have been software only.

If it is just software, it's too bad that Audi can't flash in the new suspension software (especially if a customer is complaining).

[djmika]

It seems someone, somewhere will eventually do something.

For one, I would think that eventually we'd be able to clear up if and what the differences are between the pre and post facelift cars. People say one exists. But I also compared the critical suspension part numbers online and they are the same. However, unless we're able to grab part numbers directly from both cars and compare them, I suppose that there could be a revised part and the old one isn't for sale.

People are drawing the conclusion that this is something that can be done electronically. I'm a little skeptical. I think the consensus is that this is a mechanical system. I'm outside my expertise here but wouldn't that mean that there are three valve adjustment settings for the modes and the electronic element of the system is just the ability to switch through them?

I'm pretty sure I've noticed something that I haven't seen anyone talk about yet. I feel like my car does better when it's cold out. I feel like I notice it get sloppier when it heats up. I live in Northern California so when I say cold, I'm referring to 40's and 50's. Hot is 80+ and the car does get driven when it's north of 100. If this is true and I'm not just imagining it, maybe someone who understands these systems better than I do could poke holes in this theory, but what if the newer cars just got a different/thicker/better oil?

Lastly, I agree that the bulk of the trouble is with the rear end of these cars. So, if someone (like 034) was able to offer rear dampers with improved valving, that could make a dramatic improvement and they'd have a growing audience as price of used B9 and 9.5 cars drops to where enthusiasts are buying them. I've seen a few times on here where 034 may be working on something. They're in the Bay Area, nearly my back yard and they tuned a B8.5 S4 I previously owned at their facility. So I've worked with them, know a few of the guys a little bit and most certainly ran this issue by them. They either aren't working on anything or they're staying tight-lipped on the subject.

As I've written in another post and many others state, ABT HAS did improve things a bit for me. I want to be clear about what I'm feeling - ABT HAS has a progressive or variable spring rate. I'm thoroughly convinced that the top/first stage of travel is SOFTER than stock or other aftermarket offerings. I had MSS HAS. ABT is softer and works better than that kit does. And this aligns with the logic that our cars are generally under-damped which leads to the bounce. I'm not sure what ABT did with rates through the range. It has to get stiffer as the spring compresses, my car really doesn't bottom out. The conclusion I drew was that ABT was acutely aware of the issues with DRC and focused engineering resources specifically at this issue and has basically squeezed the best performance there is from this flawed system. However, the fact that they didn't go all-out and solve the problem also says something to me about how difficult it may be. As people may remember, ABT did the RS5r. And though they (and KW) have coil-overs for these cars, they chose not to disable DRC and used their springs rather than going that route with the RS5r.

I had KW V3 on my B8.5 S4. It rode harsh and transmitted a lot more noise and vibration into the cabin of the car. A deal-breaker for me. I guess we'll see what people say about the Performance package on the 23 models but I don't think coil-overs are the broader solution. Some will accept the cost and loss of comfort in exchange for performance, most won't. I think that removing and disabling DRC in favor of the factory dampers from non-DRC cars, paired with KW or ABT HAS options would work great for people who are willing. Hell - I'd bet the MSS kit I had that was a total fail with DRC would work great on a non DRC car. They're for sale if anyone wants to try! I didn't hate the spring rates, I hated how poorly DRC damped them.

So, here's to hoping someone comes out of the woodwork with some answers and better yet, a solution. But I'm also not holding my breath. DRC was around long before B9 RS5. Older system were even known to leak. But still, there seems not to be any one company who is a go-to on this system.

[kmarei]

I have 2 5 series Audi's, 2018 S-5. & a 2019 RS 5. I love the S-5 I said when I saw the first S-5 coupe if they ever make this car in the sportback, I want it. 2018 I had my car. I have a chip upgrade. I think this is the best car.... EVER. Ive had 911s S-7s & Panameras. I thought that the RS 5 would be even better.

For the most part it is. I bought a 2019 w 9K miles. It had 2 previous owners, but I DIDNT THINK ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. I wanted that car. It had everything on it. After the first few drives I noticed that the suspension was quite bouncy. In any mode. IT seemed that in comfort or Dynamic it was worse than Auto. My description is bobbleheads. When hitting bumps your head jostled on your shoulders like a bobble head. And when at high speed, and maybe in a curve, hitting anything in the road, the suspension jolts from 1 corner to the other, making the car unstable. Of course you can never reproduce the issue on a road test. Its like going to the dentist w a toothache. So my description is purposing. I can feel it more in the rear than the front. I took it to the dealer, whom we are very familiar with. They rode w me and said they didn't see or feel anything wrong w the car. But they did check the suspension & DRC. They found the fluid was a little low as was the pressure. So they drained and refilled the entire DRC system. It cured the bobble head effect, but the car was still bouncy. Its been to the dealer twice and no reward here. I hate driving that car. If it only drove like the S 5. That car is so perfect and Im so disappointed in the RS. Now Ive found this forum adn I see Im not the only disappointed RS owner. I took it to an independent, but Ill save that story for next time. It was another experience.

Going to the dealer 1 more time, But Im not expecting anything.

where is the fluid stored?
Is this a maintenance item?
Should we be replacing or topping up that fluid ?

[djmika]

I believe it is a "serviceable" system but I've heard it's complicated and requires special equipment/tools. I've even heard some dealers aren't properly equipped to work on DRC systems. I don't think it's so much a maintenance item. But, I know older version of the system were known to leak and that would make it one. As far as where the fluid is stored, I'm not sure but I think there's a central unit in the car and that the opposite corners are linked and fluid transferred between them for better control of roll in corners. This part of DRC works excellent, even in our cars. When set to Dynamic mode, the cars corner insanely flat. Lastly, There some evidence that lowered cars may need the fluid level "topped off" or adjusted, though I don't think may do this so I'm not sure exactly what this all entails. But unless you're modifying suspension or the system has an issue, I don't think one should expect to have to top off or replace fluid.

[JohnEnglish]

where is the fluid stored?
Is this a maintenance item?
Should we be replacing or topping up that fluid ?

It's not a self service item. It's a sealed system so if the fluid level drops then you have a leak somewhere. Only the dealer and specialized shops can service it.