tmusso

I have a 2018 A5 Sportback (B9). While passing a car (hard acceleration) the car started to vibrate significantly and simultaneously I received a "Drive System Malfunction" on the display. After passing the car the vibration continued. The best way I can describe it is a low frequency vibration that increases in frequency with the engine RPMs. The vibration is very noticeable and can be felt throughout the car - car shaking. It feels as though something in the drivetrain is out of balance. I drove it another 10 miles to get home with the car shaking all the way. The shaking/vibration was bad enough that I wasn't sure I would make it home.


Once I got home I shut to car off and on restart everything returned to normal. I haven't accelerated hard yet with it to see if I can recreate the problem but I did call the dealer. Audi service's answer was that this was caused by the weather we have been having (Humid and very rainy) and that if I had any more problems then I should bring it in. I found that answer completely unsatisfactory since nothing about my experience with the car was normal. This is my first Audi and I hope that I don't regret it.... Has anyone else experienced a similar problem?

ArvX147

Misfire detected, shut down the cylinder for safety but no damage or risk to the engine. The shut down cylinder causes an imbalance in the engine operation so it shakes.

In the future you need to pull over and restart the car to get the protection to disengage and the cylinder to try to fire again, which it will most of the time.

If the misfire persists (it probably wont) take it to the dealer and they will sort it out.

iampraneel

ArvX147

I just told him what happened, he doesn't need to go to the dealer. It only happened once. It would be a total waste of time.

Also it's not a BS answer adverse weather can cause misfires.

The G Man

I had the same thing happened to my wife's Q5 a few years ago, it turn out to be oil leaking into the combustion chamber. My wife's Q5 shoke violently on the highway, we pull over and restart the car. The car ran smoothly. We called our dealer and they sent a tow truck to our house and flatbed it to the shop. The Q5 was eventually bought back by the Audi USA. If I were you, I would insist that your dealer take a look at the car and determine what the cause it and start a case with Audi USA. In the mean time, I would try to recreate the problem. Good Luck.

tmusso

Thanks for your response, it makes sense. After it happened I stopped the car, put it in neutral and reved the engine - sounded smooth and normal but I did it quickly and not under load so I may have missed the cylinder deactivation. So I guess extremely moist air coupled with high load likely created the misfire.... Thanks again for your response.

luder888

You can restart the car without pulling over, just shove it in Neutral first. Of course pulling over is always the safest option but it's not the only option.

tmusso

That is what I was thinking... I am going to pull codes when I get a chance this weekend and see what it says. If there are codes or if it happens again I will take it in to the dealer.

GCyr42

Really, please describe what you consider "adverse weather" because I've been driving various vehicles for 57 years in blizzards to hurricane-like rains and below freezing to above 100 degree temps, and NEVER had this problem with any vehicle. And, this is "normal" for an Audi A5?

The G Man

I agree, there are Audi running in the middle east that doesn't have misfiring problem. Anyone who believe hot weather can cause misfires, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I like to sell them. Whatever cause the problem will come back, if the OP sit and wait, the lemon period might expire when it does. Get it to the dealer and get the problem documented with Audi USA.