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2015 Q5 TDI Premium Plus level sensor on left rear suspension failed, causing headlights to be pointed downward and not safely lighting the road ahead. The sensor failed due to poor design, ball and socket linkage in a corrosion-assured location under the car. When the ball and socket corroded and froze, resulting load caused the sensor linkage to break. A search of Audi forums indicates that this problem is not uncommon, and this same sensor design is used in other Audi models and variants. This should be a recall item.
Last edited by kccmc; Aug 28, 2024 at 02:23 AM.
Reason: Add photos
2015 Q5 TDI Premium Plus level sensor on left rear suspension failed, causing headlights to be pointed downward and not safely lighting the road ahead. The sensor failed due to poor design, metal-to-metal ball and socket linkage in a corrosion-assured location under the car. When the metal-to-metal ball and socket corroded and froze, resulting load caused the sensor linkage to break. A search of Audi forums indicates that this problem is not uncommon, and this same sensor design is used in other Audi models and variants. This should be a recall item.
Is it possible to lubricate these ball and socket sensors?
Do you have a picture or location of these linkages?
That's what I did, using some thick silicone lube. One problem is that the ball joints of these linkages are not sealed, but I think this is a fairly typical design used by other car manufacturers, not just VAG.
Just added pictures of the failed part. These are open joints exposed under the car, so I doubt any lubricant would stick.
Seems that the replacement Audi part has a different plastic link part snapped over the metal ball, so perhaps they had enough failures to change the materials in the part.
Just added pictures of the failed part. These are open joints exposed under the car, so I doubt any lubricant would stick.
Seems that the replacement Audi part has a different plastic link part snapped over the metal ball, so perhaps they had enough failures to change the materials in the part.
If you use the type of lube that is commonly used with sway bar bushings, I am certain it will hold up well enough for a year or two and then re-lube as needed.
When I install my snow tires I will use a small syringe with a needle point to try to inject some lube of some type (silicone?) into the ball joint.
How much was the replacement part?
For winter driven cars, I pack level sensor ball joints with thick wheel bearing grease during spring and fall wheel changes. Sure the grease doesn’t last forever but it sure does extend the lifespan of the part.
Based on the level of corrosion in the pics then you are likely not going to be happy with the condition of other chassis parts. For example have a closer look at the rear subframe.
When I install my snow tires I will use a small syringe with a needle point to try to inject some lube of some type (silicone?) into the ball joint.
How much was the replacement part?
I picked up one on eBay a couple years ago for $60 after the Audi shop told me that the left rear sensor would fail soon and quoted something close to $400 to replace it. After inspecting the linkage and ball joint of the sensor, I noticed some corrosion but did not think that failure was imminent. I lubed up the ball joint and the linkage joints and it has been working fine so far. I still have not installed the new sensor. It is not as simple as it should be to replace because Audi decided to install the sensor to one of the critical suspension mounting bolts. I need to look at it again, but I had some concern about getting the suspension bolt back in place after removing it.
The rear sensor comes off the positioning plate via two screws, if you just need to replace the sensor. If the mounting plate is shot, then that sucks. The left rear sensor for without adaptive suspension (1BL) was 8R0941309C, now 8R0941309E. We see it here https://www.ebay.com/itm/275776264788 with the two screws holding the sensor to the positioning plate. The p/n includes the positioning plate and the two screws for securing the sensor to it (as well as the nut for the arm elbow), but you don't have to use the plate. The p/n does not include the screw for the sensor arm to the control arm (N01474011, M6x16).
If the plate is toast, then, the workshop manual doesn't even cover that directly. Appears it's secured by the upper link to subframe bolt head; they couldn't even bother to put it on the nut side. But that leads us to the statement "Due to the inaccessibility of the inner threaded connection -1-, the upper control arm can only be removed when the subframe has been removed." That "inner threaded connection -1-" is the bolt of interest. So getting that bolt out to replace the plate, a major task.
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