markben7746

2012 Q5 3.2 Prestige

Anyone encounter a squeak while going over bumps/potholes? I constanly hear a slight noise which sounds like a loose component somewhere around the wheel or wheel well. It only happens above 30MPH and you can only hear it when the driver's window is down. It has to be a violent change int he suppension to make the noise. $60K cars are not suppose to make such a noise.

I took it to the dealer and after a week of having the car i beleive they gave up on trying to locate it. I had a secondary noise from the exhaust area under the car which they fix (replaced both cat converters) and claimed it was related to the wheel well noise. I figure i'd ask around before I invest more time with another local dealer's maintenace department.

markben7746

Should be Left Front Wheel well....

stash64

Check your wheel well liner. I started to hear something similar on my A3. I finally took the front wheels off and discovered that both wheel well liners had become "unsnapped" in two places. I glued the snaps back in place and noise was gone. I am certain the wheel well liners came loose during service because it was after a service visit that I first started to hear the noise. On the A3 at least, the liners are right next to the lift points and were likely jarred loose when put on the hoist.

I'm a bit bummed about the Q5 myself. I'm starting to hear a "spring board" type rattle from (I think) the passenger side door, but I can't blame service since the car has yet to go in for its first service visit. Honestly, with this rattle and the poor shifting transmission, I'm wishing I had my A3 again.

markben7746

There was a loud rattle coming from the front end caused by broken caliper springs. The solution was to replace all the front caliper springs. TSB # 2030704/1

JNeth522

The noise you are describing is actually the seat belt anchor on the floor of the car tapping repeatedly against the seat console base. It happens over soft frost heaves and deep but not sharp manhole covers. Stuff like that. Wrap some felt tape around that thing and all will be quiet.

stash64

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try, though the plastic anchor piece has almost an inch clearance to the seat base. It is close only when I move the seat fully back. Does it matter if someone is in the seat or not ?

I've wrapped the plastic anchor with Velcro loop tape. I have my fingers crossed. The rattle was annoying me yesterday over a rough patch of road. I do agree that it is most noticeable over undulations in the road but not so much over sharp impacts.