Mshort1976

I recently got my 2018 Q5 after turning in my 2015 VW Tiguan.

i am having significant reception issues with SiriusXM in the Q5. I am having frequent drop outs that I never had with my VW. My wife also has a 2017 A3 with SirusXM and we do not have reception issues anywhere near what I’m experiencing with the Q5.

In the Tiguan or the A3 occasionally I would get drop outs when “line of sight” was blocked my mountains or tall buildings. However, now with the Q5, I am experiencing drop outs due to seemingly anything taller than the vehicle (trees, houses, probably even taller people).

it is so utterly frustrating that I am seriously considering dropping my subscription.

is anyone else experiencing significant issues similar to mine?

damnitBobby

You may need to get that checked. My '18 SQ5 rarely has reception issues. I can only think of one time I had an issue and I was under a gas station canopy. Funny thing is it only happened that one time at that particular spot. Maybe something in the vicinity was distorting the signal? Not sure but it never happens at other gas stations.

TYJ

katzjamr

I am in seattle, have had my Q5 for a month, everything works on this vehicle its been great, except my XM breaks up, like a short gap in the programing. I am new to XM (my last Lexus came with a cassette deck!!) It seems to me the reception could be better, I do enjoy having it. I will give XM a call and see what they say, and also talk to my salesman when I pick up my permanent license plates.

thetoddjohnson

I too am in Seattle and have frequent XM drop outs. I've only lived here about a year. I just assumed it was the crappy weather here, but maybe it's not. Over the years I've had half a dozen cars with XM radios and my '18 SQ5 is the only one that has ever experienced this.

nikv

Same for me in Seattle as well. I thought it was my car acting up. I lose the reception on open roads. Let us know what you find out.

murphbmurph

My 2018 A5 Cabriolet has the same problem....cuts out when going past a few trees, then once I am out in the open, keeps going on and off for a distance. My fourth car with satellite radio, and the worse reception ever.
The car is at the dealer right now. Of course, they said, 'No issues, no technical service bulletins, etc.' Seems to me the radio is bad, or the antenna, or something. I might have to pursue it with Audi USA.

leolarry

Unless things have changed, the Sirius satellite is over the center of of the USA. So the farther away you are from the center of the country, the lower in the sky (think angle of sight) the satellite will be. So, the closer you are to either coast it can cause the signal to more easily obstructed by trees, etc. Antenna quality plays a role also as does the size of buffer the in the radio that stores the digital data. The bigger the buffer, the longer it can tolerate signal loss.

Since the #dieselgate fines and payouts, I'm sure VAG is doing all they can to reduce costs, and push more costs to their customers. For example, NAV map updates and traffic info only available via AudiConnect. Getting around the traffic info issue is easy.

Malkiy

I live close to Seattle, Lynnwood, and don't get that many interruptions. I'm guessing the hills and buildings have a lot to do with dropped connections.

Wires

Sounds like either a receiver issue with the Sirius unit, bad antenna or bad connection to the antenna. Only time I've seen issues is going through mountain passes, or indoors (for obvious reasons!)