Daveg0010

When I pull up the lever on the side of the rear seat, to fold down the seat back, it will not disengage. The seat back won't budge at all. Is there a cable or lever inside that is broken? I pulled off the plastic cover to the hinge mechanism and it isn't obvious what the next step to disassemble would be to troubleshoot this problem.

atc98092

I think they only move down when you use the release in the "trunk" area. I don't think you can release them from the inside of the car.

stix

All Q5s have a flip handle at the side of both rear seats which releases the rear seat back.
Also, the rear seats have a bar underneath which can move the seats forward/backward. One thought...maybe check your rear seat positions to see if this bar allows them to move ? Otherwise, I'd do a search on the issue...

Daveg0010

Thanks for your reply...
- The flip handle/lever to fold down the passenger side rear seat back works fine, like the driver's side handle did in the past. I moved the seat forward as well, using the bar underneath, but this did not change the problem or give me an obvious way to get into the locking mechanism to release the seat back. If I could find the process to take the hinge mechanism apart, I could probably trouble shoot it, but I can't find a manual or instruction as to how to do this. (It isn't obvious to me by looking at it - and I'm not a stranger to fixing stuff!).

Daveg0010

Thanks for the reply - There is no release for the rear seat back in the trunk area that I can find. I've only used the lever/handle on the side of the rear seat to fold it down in the past, but this is no longer working.

atc98092

On my 2012, the seat back release levers are in the rear, up high on ether side. pulling them releases the seat back on that side of the car. I'll try to remember to test the levers at the side of the seat from the rear doors and see if I can release either side. However, I recall I've tried that before and could not release the backs without entering the rear hatch area.

V8BOB

Here's a site with a blow up of the seat. Maybe the lever has some how become disconnected.

https://audi.7zap.com/en/usa/audi+q5...885-885060/#16

Hope it helps, Bob

Daveg0010

Bob, this diagram is much more useful than the one from Audi. I think you are right that the cable has become disconnected from the lever. Your diagram shows the release lever in the trunk area too (16A) that Stix mentioned and that the Audi diagram doesn't show. I guess I never noticed this, but unfortunately this doesn't work either. Both the upper and lower cables must be disconnected from the lever. I'll have to disassemble the lever and hinge mechanism. wish me luck!
Thanks , Dave

stix

Dave,
In the diagram Bob provided (17) shows the cable running to the release lever in rear of Q (16A) with a connector to (17A) running to plate under seat. Since neither the lever at seat nor the rear release work, wonder if removing the seat bench can give you a better visual ? The bench removal can be found on youtube.

Zigaroo

Not that i want to start a new thread but on the same topic of drivers seat, my '12 only warms up the buns and not the back rest. Is it normal, as my wife A4'15 does both (bun/back).