2021 SQ5 General Questions

[denako]

Hi all, just picked up a 2021 SQ5 Premium Plus with 36k miles. I had some general questions about maintenance and behavior of the vehicle that I am hoping to have addressed all in one post.

I just dropped it off at our local Audi dealership for a TSB that surfaced literally hours after taking it off the lot

1. Besides the point, they recommended the following maintenance as part of the 30k mi. service and wanted to know whether it's necessary at these intervals based on platform experience.

- 30k mi. or 3-years: Transfer Case Fluid Change
- 30k mi. or 3-years: Brake Fluid Change
- 30k mi. or 3-years: Rear Differential Fluid Change

Aside from the above, I've ran into a few other weird issues...

2. Audi Pre-Sense and other safety sensors are very sensitive. For example, the distance sensors for the car in front of me is giving me a warning rather often when the car is well over 50-100 ft. away. Is this normal? Audi says that it might need a calibration/alignment for $900.

3. Wired and Wireless Carplay both connect intermittently. Sometimes it won't connect but MMI will still recognize the phone and play music. I was advised by Audi to try an original Apple cable. Does this sound right? Anything else I should be checking?

4. I used to use OBDEleven for my B8 S4. Is this still the go-to mobile OBD Diagnostic device? I know VCDS is best but we're keeping the car stock so don't need anything advanced for now.

5. Any need-to-know maintenance/part replacements that I can expect with the B9? PCV? Thermostats? Air Ride? etc.

That's all I have for now and looking forward to your responses. Thanks!

[Smac770]

1) https://maintenance.audiusa.com/#/audi 30k for a '21 SQ5 comes up as just an oil change.
transfer case fluid? What? This is not a quattro ultra vehicle. Unless some TSB has come out recommending such for the ZF 0D5 transmission with Torsen center diff.
brake fluid is "every 24 months" per Audi; I say 48 is more than frequent enough unless you push your vehicle hard or such. So that's really up to you.
rear diff? Do you have a sport diff in that vehicle? Was optional. If so, Audi technically documents no service for the B-series S models (S4, S5, SQ5). For RS models and larger S models, clutch pack ATF and diff gear oil every 60k miles.

2) Which system is saying a car is close? The ultrasonic parking sensors? The ACC radars? Or the driver assistance camera? What might be going on and what needs to be done will depend on which system is involved.

3) no input other than see if there's any relevant sw update for the MIB3 (that's what system you have).

4) Do you have the original white device or the "next gen" black device? If the latter, then yeah, it's all the same B8 or B9. But don't know if the white device supports B9; can't find any clarity on that on OBDeleven's vehicles support page.

5) check your sunroof drains, check them again, check them again in a few days, repeat. Your engine is CWGD, same engine as the S4 and S5, so whatever you find for the engine and transmission for any the B-series S models, it's all the same.

[GoCougs1234]

1.) Enter your VIN here: https://maintenance.audiusa.com/. Ignore the dealer IMO. 2021 SQ5 transfer case and diffs are lifetime fill (or, there is no change interval noted) and brake fluid is every 2 years irrespective of mileage.

2.) The sensitivity is adjustable via the MMI.

3.) Comes and goes. I can go many weeks without a wireless connection problem (I never used wired) and then for a week or two every other day I have a problem, usually solved by cycling vehicle ignition.

4.) OBDeleven works but I found it absolutely abysmal. If you plan to do any power train upgrades or tuning just spring for VCDS.

5.) Follow the maintenance schedule as there are some quirky things in there (such as the sunroof drains as mentioned - important because if they clog you risk soaking electronics which could be many $thousands to replace).

[SQ5-4RiNGS]

1.) Enter your VIN here: https://maintenance.audiusa.com/. Ignore the dealer IMO. 2021 SQ5 transfer case and diffs are lifetime fill (or, there is no change interval noted) and brake fluid is every 2 years irrespective of mileage.

2.) The sensitivity is adjustable via the MMI.

3.) Comes and goes. I can go many weeks without a wireless connection problem (I never used wired) and then for a week or two every other day I have a problem, usually solved by cycling vehicle ignition.

4.) OBDeleven works but I found it absolutely abysmal. If you plan to do any power train upgrades or tuning just spring for VCDS.

5.) Follow the maintenance schedule as there are some quirky things in there (such as the sunroof drains as mentioned - important because if they clog you risk soaking electronics which could be many $thousands to replace).

If you keep the sunroof shut hundred percent a time from brand new, sunroof drain shouldn’t have that big of a problem right?

[Smac770]

If you keep the sunroof shut hundred percent a time from brand new, sunroof drain shouldn’t have that big of a problem right?

Water still gets in during a rain, car wash, etc. My car was fine, heavy rains overnight, turn car on in the morning, audio messed up, water all over the amp. But in my case, the 15 year old drain tubes were separating at the boot. Not sure if all the B9 Q5 stuff is clogged drains or "failed" drain tubes.

[SQ5-4RiNGS]

Water still gets in during a rain, car wash, etc. My car was fine, heavy rains overnight, turn car on in the morning, audio messed up, water all over the amp. But in my case, the 15 year old drain tubes were separating at the boot. Not sure if all the B9 Q5 stuff is clogged drains or "failed" drain tubes.

Mine is new new built back in April, but on my old Lexus I think I open the sunroof a handful of times in the 17 years I owned it never had a problem with the drains