macvin

So a few of us have this issue on our 2013 Q5s over in the Q5 forum and we wanted to bring it to your attention as it might affect some A4s as well. This issue does not affect vehicle performance whatsoever, and a few of the other owners have been living with it for an extended period of time with no faults. So far, I believe it might only be relevant to CPMA motors which can be found in B8 platforms around the 2013 time frame, as the only people on the Q5 forum with this issue seems to be 2013 owners.

Here's the gist of it:

I am getting a ticking / pinging noise on acceleration with throttle at 50% or above. It's particularly noticeable when I'm driving next to a wall or structure and the sound reflects back to me, and definitely comes from the driver's side. It sounds like a consistent ticking that is timed with one of the cylinders, almost as if I have a single injector that's considerably louder than the rest? That's what it sounds like anyway. I can't really hear the noise at idle or below half throttle, but it's present at WOT under harder acceleration. The engine doesn't seem to be behaving poorly or anything, and no CEL or engine codes are present when inspecting with VAGCOM. I haven't been able to replicate it while in neutral because I don't think I generate enough load on the engine. The sound is not present when coasting.

A few things:

• I recently replaced my PCV valve, that didn't solve it. Noise is still present.
• Today I replaced my upper timing cover after noticing a leak there, that didn't solve it, noise is still present.
• I am using exclusively 91+ octane fuel, have changed my fuel multiple times from multiple sources to prove to myself it wasn't as a result of octane.
• I have just changed my oil to 5w-40 LiquiMoly molygen and it's still doing it. So it's not that.
• My car has the updated timing chain tensioner.

I'm starting to think it could just be noise from the '5th injector' on the metal intake manifold... could that be it?

Previously I brought it to the dealer to have it looked at while undergoing a recall. The service advisor was in my car and heard the noise, but was unsure as to what it could be. He suggested I start by swapping out the plugs with new ones and see where that gets me. I haven't done this yet because I don't have any good evidence to suggest it's the plugs, what's more is that another Q5 owner took it in for the 35k service (plugs should have been changed) and it didn't solve the problem.

Today I brought it to my indie Audi mechanic, he took a listen and rode with me and didn't think it would be the plugs either. He identified the timing cover oil leak, so we swapped that, but he said we should probably just get some chassis ears and figure it out proper. That will be a process, so I wanted to check on the forums first to see if there was anyone with a similar experience.

Here is a video of the noise (turn up your speaker volume):
https://streamable.com/yylli

Do you guys have any experience with this sort of noise?

dann911

Did you ever get this noise sorted out?

macvin

See this thread:

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-.../#post25311153

dann911

Gold Mine. Thanks!