now i've added audi to my collection

[Lucas_R]

yeah, if he's in Vic you never know! lol. Not sure how good the V6S with the s-tronic DSG is reliability wise, as the V8 came with a traditional tip-tronic auto...

Well instead of the Audi SQ5 I got for my wife a few years ago, I really wanted an S4 Wagon or S5 Hatch with 4 doors and they both had the V6S engine and DSG. I did a hell of a lot of reading and apparently both engine and DSG are generally very reliable - especially so on newer low km examples that I was interested in (3 years old and under 50,000km).

Unfortunately wife is extremely stubborn and wasn't interested in an S4 or S5 and only had eyes for the SQ5 so here I am with an SQ5 that has been nothing but trouble for the 18 months that we have owned it. FYI the SQ5's are also supposed to be very reliable but we must have got a car that was built on a Friday afternoon.

[FarQ]

Well instead of the Audi SQ5 I got for my wife a few years ago, I really wanted an S4 Wagon or S5 with 4 doors and they both had the V6S engine and DSG. I did a hell of a lot of reading and apparently both engine and DSG are generally very reliable - especially so on newer low km examples.

Unfortunately wife is extremely stubborn and wasn't interested in an S4 or S5 and only had eyes for the SQ5 so here I am with an SQ5 that has been nothing but trouble for the 18 months that we have owned it. FYI the SQ5's are also supposed to be very reliable but we must have got a car build on a Friday afternoon.

Ahhhh.. the love of SUVs... lucky for me, my wife cant stand them..
Why not the petrol SQ5? Both petrol and diesel came with the tip-tronic and not s-tronic...

[Lucas_R]

Ahhhh.. the love of SUVs... lucky for me, my wife cant stand them..
Why not the petrol SQ5? Both petrol and diesel came with the tip-tronic and not s-tronic...

No petrol SQ5 available in Australia - TDI only unfortunately. When i realised that we had to get an SUV, I desperately tried to convince my wife to get the (very rare combo) V6S engine and then spend a few grand dressing it up to look more like the SQ5 but I was getting shot down left, right and centre.

The SQ5 has the 8 speed ZF auto.

[FarQ]

The SQ5 has the 8 speed ZF auto.

That should be solid. so the issues mainly around the diesel?

[Lucas_R]

That should be solid. so the issues mainly around the diesel?

DPF issues mostly. Pain in the bum.

And just after Christmas (after fixing the latest DPF issue which had the car off the road for about 10 days due to the Christmas/New Year period) the active exhaust has now decided to stop working. Looks like the computer module for the active exhaust had given up (located passenger side boot under trim). Hoping its the module as its much cheaper than replacing the special active mufflers (although still around $700 to replace the module).

Car is only 4 years old and 45,000km mind you. Lemon of a thing.

[FarQ]

Car is only 4 years old and 45,000km mind you. Lemon of a thing.

Hopefully i dont have DPF issues, as the passat has just had its 2yr service and its only at 24k km...

[RS7Robbo]

Hi Lucas_R,
my daughter & i both Have SQ5's hers 15 my 16 mine 16 my 17 her active Exhaust stopped working swapped modules with mine no difference pulled the Exhaust of and cut the tops off the speaker part with 1mm blade speakers were shot replaced all good again.
cheers Rob

[Lucas_R]

Hi Lucas_R,
my daughter & i both Have SQ5's hers 15 my 16 mine 16 my 17 her active Exhaust stopped working swapped modules with mine no difference pulled the Exhaust of and cut the tops off the speaker part with 1mm blade speakers were shot replaced all good again.
cheers Rob

Yes its a common problem. My speakers havent worked for about 12 months now. I was going to cut them open and replace the speakers but cant be bothered too be honest. Might do it one day but its certainly not on my to-do list.

Obviously a design flaw because it happens to many SQ5’s.