retom

For non-plus sized phones Audi proposes something like this (#3):

Reliantg

Does anyone know where the coil is so we can try to center our phones when placing it?

Rubberbumper

ReliantG may have the right question. My iPhone 8 always gets hot, but often fails to charge at all. Being somewhat smaller than the charging box, I've wondered if position is the answer. My wife's 8Max seems to charge fine, albeit very slowly. That larger phone fills the entire space. I'm back to using the cable..

SQ8VN

Been having the same issue from day one. Phone got so hot that it auto shut off for overheating.

To think that Audi sacrificed the storage space inside the arm rest for this crap is sad....

B7Quattro Pete

Yep, having the heating issue with my iPhone 8; plus it barely added any charge in an hour drive. By contrast, my 2020 GLC charges like a champ with no heating.

NyCAudiGuY

So my theory to this problem, I believe is related to what ReliantG indicated. I believe the problem is due to the "pocket" being relatively large and the coil is probably in a location right in the center. This becomes an issue as since the pocket isn't even a non slip surface, the phone can move around and stray from the sweet spot. This then makes the coil and phone have to work extra hard just to establish that charge. I've seen in other car manufacturers that also have a Qi charger resolve this by adding a clip which prevents the phone from moving around.

Since I run android, I've just always plugged mine in since that's how I would need to run android auto anyway. But apple or android, I recommend plugging in, as this would reduce anxiety from possibly having your phone explode from battery overheating or worse causing your vehicle to catch fire (since you wouldn't be able to feel or monitor what's going on under the armrest).

cfamike

I've got a 21 SQ5 and have the same issue. They originally said it was only the smaller iPhones that overheated and there was no known solution. The retrofit kit to center the phone is no longer available (probably because Audi realized it didn't work). Their main customer support line told me it was a phone issue, not an Audi issue. So, I got the largest iPhone they currently make (12 Pro Max). Same problem. I took it back to Audi with that info and they had the same conclusion: no known solution. I'm very upset about this. They create a feature that knowingly doesn't work. In addition, it creates a safety hazard, could possibly damage the phone, and disconnects CarPlay when overheating which could lead to safety issues with driving (missing a turn, trying to fumble with it and taking eyes off the road, etc.). I purchased a 21 because of the wireless charging and wireless Apple CarPlay. Now they are saying both are essentially unavailable because they can't get it to work. Had I known that, I would have probably gone for an older model, or a different brand. I'm currently trying to get in touch with someone higher up at Audi Corp to express my frustration and the potential dangers they've created. I find this "no known solution" excuse to be unacceptable for a luxury brand like this.

PeterK821

Okay, so even a cursory Google search on the topic of overheating while wirelessly charging phones yields A LOT of hits. From home charging pads, car-based pads, and so forth. So this isn’t exactly an Audi thing. It seems to happen a lot in general.

Wireless charging by nature is extremely inefficient and generates a significant amount of heat. Things that affect the heat generated are mainly the charging power used and the relative distance between the coils.

Part of the problem is that current phones are very compact for what is inside them so they tend to trap heat very well. Audi can’t do a thing about that. Having the charger under the armrest doesn’t help because that will help trap more heat — that’s probably the one and only thing Audi could do something about, but you’ll likely have to wait until there’s a redesign.

Note: the older your battery is, and the lower it’s current state of charge is when you put it on the wireless charger, the hotter it will get. Charging habits and age are likely why some people see this issue more than others.

if you want your phone to get REALLY hot, have it be charging from less than 50% and also be using it for anything that requires continuous data transfer (streaming audio/video or phone calls). That’s a phone thing and has nothing to do with Audi.

Rubberbumper

I'll just add one thing. Our experience has been that if you put the phone in the charging box, you have to look for the indication that it's charging. A message pops up on the car's screen. Absent that message, nothing is happening except the phone getting hot. I still think that if you have a smaller phone, the problem is alignment related, but as said above, wireless charging is still a bit of a stretch. We carry a cord for faster charging.

Steve

UrusUser

Not to mention the reduction in overall battery longevity by using wireless charging.