snagitseven

A few weeks ago, I noticed an intermittent soft single "clunking" noise when braking as the car weight shifted forward. It seemed to come from under the car as I could feel it in the steering wheel. After checking that nothing in the car or trunk was loose, I took it into the dealer and they checked everything mechanical underneath to insure nothing was loose. They told me everything appeared to be tight. Of course, it didn't exhibit the clunk on a road test that day so I couldn't show then what I was experiencing.

Now, a few weeks later, the light clunking has become more constant and appears about 70% of the time when braking and taking off, particularly as I turn and the weight shifts. I'm hoping it will be easier now for them to detect what's causing this when I bring it back in next week. It definitely feels to me like something in the steering mechanism or in the suspension somewhere.

Anyone have any ideas what I should have then focus on?

QUA77R0

I don't know if this is related but when I took my car in for new brakes, I noted that there was a line on the RO that the mechanic had found "loose subframe bolts and tightened them".

I had had a few strange clicking noises braking or over rough pavement. All quiet now.

Best of luck. The nice thing about intermittent noises is that they usually get louder before they go silent....of course once it goes silent, it's easy to find the problem usually since whatever it was probably fell off.. So it's good that you are getting it looked at.

Cabal_san

I had the same noises on my 09 A4 2.0TQ. Turns out it was loose bolts - in particular the front sway bar. Had them all re-torqued and so far so good after a couple hundred miles.

This is the 3rd post I have come across with loose suspension & subframe parts (here and Az).

Worth a re-look at by dealer...

snagitseven

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to have them go over it with a fine tooth comb this time. I can't recall ever having this kind of an issue before with any car I've owned.

snagitseven

Well, I took it in to service this a.m. and took a tech for a ride around a parking lot. He heard the clunks immediately. Left the car (got a Q5 loaner) and as soon as I got home they called and said they found the problem - an upper strut bolt needed to be torqued down and that the noise is now gone.
I'll pick it up and see if that really solved the issue. Hope so.

BTW, I really like the Q5. Softer ride somewhat than my A4 - handling just short of the A4 but darned nice. I especially like the power mirrors, side by side full size cup holders, power lift rear hatch, power rear seat, glass roof and forward radar for obstructions. The rest is pretty much the same as my A4 (aside from the overall storage capacity and 3G Nav, of course).

UPDATE: that was it - a loose upper strut bolt. Scary.

Brian Cecil

The last time I got an Audi loan car, I ended up ordering a new Audi based on the loaner I had.

CharlieG

I found the mirrors on the Q5 to obstruct vision to the left and right at intersections. Sometimes an A-pillar can do that depending on your position but the mirrors on the Q5 seemed to always be at least partially blocking sight of something.

starbuck

So I have the same clunk- but only when I brake in reverse. Dealer took the front calipers apart and found nothing wrong, they said they all have that clunk (same answer I got about the jerky Tiptronic shifting). Guess I'll get underneath it and check all the bolts...

Paul