Leonid Dobkine

Hi folks,

Just picked up 2017 Audi Q7 and noticed a clicking sound right before coming to a complete stop. Went to the dealer. They took the car in and explained to me that this is due to the electric motor that redistributes torque and this is normal and that they drove another Q7 on the lot and it has the same clicking sound.
Do you experience the same in your vehicle?

noxqzs

Where do you hear the clicking sound coming from? If its right next to the shift lever, then I would go back to the dealer, and have them check the technical service bulletin. There is a thread here already for this, if that is the issue, with the exact bulletin number.

discogone

One of the ticking noises most people have heard is about front console's antenna communication.

Please refer to my old post regarding the solution:
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-.../#post24883097

tnedator

Is there a place to look up Service Bulletins? With my wife's Lexus, I remember there was a site where they were compiled and easily looked up (don't think it was an official site).

gsobol

Try this:
Technical Service Bulletins Search Results

discogone

You probably can search Technical Bulletins on https://erwin.audiusa.com.

It's free to register and search, but you will have to pay to view the details.

Keyser Wi

Talked to my dealer's technicians in 2 separate occasions. I was told the clicking is from the supercharger clutch / pulley ... Most importantly, there's nothing Audi will or can do to fix it. We just have to live with you no matter how annoying it is.

If you have as "lucky" as me, that will not be the only annoying noise ....

hayde_bre

I am sorry to resurrect and old thread but I think I am having the same issue, I tried my best to explain it here in this other thread, and I can hear it when Auto Start/Stop kicks in too, low volume click at Auto Stop (Engine) and a little louder one when Auto Start kicks in, this type of noise should not be really relevant or happening while traveling, at first I thought it could be a sensor or something telling vehicle to stop the engine (but computer or user switch overwrites when it's not needed, but we still hear the click). I can replicate that by hitting the button on center console.
I do hear it somewhere in the back randomly too, it sounds more like knocking then clicking. So I am really wondering if this is something to do with antenna connection like discogone mentioned, but why would it keep making that noise at every stop?

Meyecul

This one was discussed in a few threads about a half year ago. It does not appear this is something that is going to go away or be fixed. My q7 always has always done it since day one and I currently have a loaner Q7 that was literally brand new (50 miles on the OD) and it does it as well.

The sound your are hearing is more of a "cluck" like (not click) sound that is coming from what appears to be the front axel area at every single stop. Its like a clucking type sound you can make with your tongue rolled back in your mouth. Its subtle and many will not notice it with the radio or a/c blasting etc. It has something to do with auto shut off feature mechanics. In a discussion a while back I described how you could duplicate the sound at will. When at a stop and the engine shuts off, keep your foot on the brake and press the button to turn the auto shut off feature off. You will here the cluck and the engine will come on, now press the button again and you will hear the sound and the engine will shut off. You can sit and do it all day long and you will get the clucking sound each time that button is pressed. A tech at a dealer that has a true full understanding of how the auto shut off mechanically works should be able to explain this sound, but so far I have not found one. It has to be something with how the feature engages and disengages.

hayde_bre

Meyecul,
Thank you very much, I am glad I found someone who knows what I am talking about.
Exactly, see below post I wrote in another thread (that thread has a different sound, which appears to be coming from something totally different)

I figured it had something to do with auto start/stop, because the first click is heard very clearly the moment speed drops to 5mph, the instant it goes from 6 to 4mph, I can hear the 1st click. It's very apparent. Now this would NOT be annoying at all if it was just sound, but unless this is my imagination, i can feel the click when I am driving. There is definitely some kind of mechanical thing going on, again maybe it's my imagination.

This should be avoided if we keep the Auto start/stop function disabled, but I am guessing that's a sensor of some sort, which is also why engine turns off even before you come to a complete stop.
There must be some techs in some dealers who knows exactly why this is happening, I wish we could get some explanation, maybe find a way to yank it out or disable it, maybe that can also permanently disable auto start/stop.