MP4.2+6.0

Borrowing an idea from an A5 board, I installed the underseat storage boxes for both the front driver and passenger sides. Apparently these are an option in Europe, but nonetheless can be gotten here (dealers, ECS, etc) because they cross over to A5's, A6's, etc.

The boxes don't add a lot of space--think folding umbrella, pencil cases, some old fashioned paper maps, maybe a woman's soft make up kit in a longer zip bag, etc.--but are better than nothing. The Q5 has much less accessible storage space than either my A8 or A6, nor the nicer hidden door pockets Audi cost reduced out with the C6 and D4 generations starting about ten years back. You don't see it much unless you stick your head under there to clean, but it is also (un) finished under there more like Toyota's I have owned than Audi's. The boxes help clean up that look by covering over the wiring, motors, etc. and tie in well to the look of the movable front lower bolster on the sports seats and the whole look of the seat base. See pics below.

Part #'s if interested are:
To do it, seats really have to get unbolted from the floor. That's easy, just undoing the 4 triple square bolts you can see at front and rear of tracks. Then you just tilt seat backward while still in its general place for decent access but without unplugging any wiring connectors. I tried to do it w/out removing seat from the floor at first, but it is virtually impossible to get the screws to go into the speed nuts without looking at them from various angles, plus the clearance is too restricted. The A5 posts talk about maybe having to reroute some wiring under the seat slightly, but I found beyond just a bit of finger pressure, they fit as is. The alignment is more fiddling than you might guess and the angles make it a bit of a challenge, but eventually it goes. It helps to have a punch or small bladed implement to help align the screw holes with the speed clip behind the plastic box before trying to insert the screws. The tolerance is only a mm or two, but the manufacturing isn't really that precise. Be careful when getting the speed clips pushed on to the seat base metal frame--you can lose them inside the punch out where you start to insert them and then they drop down in between the metal seat pan and the padding. Ask me how I know when I did the second one--I fished it out with a little magnet attached to some thin electrical tape as a pull.

It took about 45 minutes per side once I got the hang of it...plus the chance to vacuum under there better. Pictures are from (U.S.) passenger side, one closed one open. After I took them, I got the alignment a little better near the outer seat edge. The driver's side looks identical.

ECS Tuning-Audi

We have kits with hardware available below. These are for B8 but if you got this to work in your Q5 the part numbers are the same.

Click HERE to order or for more information


Jason

dnt12q5

Hmm, nice addition.
I always thought that the underseat storage wasn't an option on powered seats.

In my A3, I have the storage compartment only on my passenger side which is manual.

Can you check to see if there are any clearance issues when adjusting the seat all the way down closest to the floor?

If there aren't any, i'll order some up.

TIA

MP4.2+6.0

I always put the seat all the way down and pretty far back. My wife likes it way up and pretty far forward, so it has moved around a lot already. I did the driver's side first to be sure it fit, so it has been in there about ten days now. The seats are Audi parts bin of course, but the higher SUV type seating is probably giving it an advantage clearance wise too.

wrcardon

That's pretty sweet. I have to admit, there have been many times when I wish we had door flaps. Honestly, with them open like they are, they are pretty useless. After all, what kinda car guy/girl want's junk visible in their perfectly detailed car!?

dsackman

Will that box hold a Glock 17?



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stash64

I like it. Looks very stock. I had the bins in my A3 and miss them. I have no good place for my micro-fiber wipe down rags now.

Do we ever do group purchases ?

koobah

I had them on my B7. Very handy. Do these work on power seats? I remember seeing somewhere they were only for manual seats.

wrcardon

MP4.2+6.0's seats are definitely power. I am assuming that because of the higher seat position on the Q these work despite the seats being power.

Correct me if I am wrong. About to pull the trigger on a pair.

MP4.2+6.0

Both of mine are powered. The Q5 seats are higher off the floor than A4/5/6's sedan/coupe type designs where the seats and boxes start from, so there should be more clearance anyway. The bottom edge of the storage cubby is the same as the bottom edge of the side trim of the seat, and that's a good inch off the floor. I see the seat area itself is on a platform of sorts from the underbody (perhaps how they raised it), so it clears the front mats or junk on the floor by even more space.

In any case, I did the test install and all fits fine. Part # was from Euro EKTA for Q5's.