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Audi: How to Replace Rear Parking Buzzer

Why pay someone hundreds of dollars to do something you can do at home? Check out how easy it is to replace that broken parking speaker on your Audi.

By Neftali Medina - April 8, 2016
Contributors: AudiWorld

This article applies to the Audi A6 C5/C6, A3, A4 B7/B8, and Q5/Q7 (1998-2015).

Audi does a good job combining functionality and ease of use on many of its vehicles features. The parking speaker is used to help alert the driver when an obstruction is too close to the rear of the vehicle. Although most drivers can easily back-in into parking spots, the speaker still offers supplementary assistance for other obstructions they may not be able to see, such as a parking stump. The speaker on your Audi is located in the rear of the cabin underneath the C-Pillar. Although this is very easy to replace, you have to remove many of the rear trim pieces to access it, as explained below.

Audi: How to Replace Rear Parking Buzzer

Materials Needed

  • T25 Torx driver
  • Replacement speaker
  • 17mm flat wrench
  • Trim removal tool (optional)

Step 1 – Remove the rear deck cover

The process of removing all of the trim pieces can be a bit mysterious, as many of them overlap with one another. This means you'll have to remove one piece first, prior to removing the other piece. First start off with the rear deck cover, which is held in place by several clips. Just grab ahold with a solid grip and gently pull it off from the roof of the car.

Figure 1. Remove the rear deck trim.

Step 2 – Remove the upper portion of the C-pillar

Use your T25 Torx driver to remove the screw holding the upper portion of the C-pillar in place. Begin to pull it outwards and locate the second screw; you can refer to Figure 3 if you need a visual aid. Then loosen and remove the second screw.

  • Figure 2. Remove the top C-pillar screw.
  • Figure 3. Pull the top portion of the C-pillar trim down.
  • Figure 4. Remove the second C-pillar screw.

Step 3 – Pull the seat down

Pull on the backrest lever and bend the seat down. Here you will be able to clearly see the bolt the seat hooks on to. Grab the 17mm wrench and loosen that bolt. Take the bolt off, and then remove the triangular trim piece.

  • Figure 5. Pull the seat down.
  • Figure 6. Remove the bolt.
  • Figure 7. Remove the triangular trim piece.

Step 4 – Remove the final C-pillar screw

The last screw is located under the triangular panel. Loosen the screw and finish pulling back the trim. Here you will be able to see the small wire harness that leads to the rear parking speaker. Follow the wires to the speaker and disconnect the old unit.

Figure 8. Remove the last C-pillar screw.

Step 5 – Replace the speaker

  • Loosen the mounting bolt for the speaker.
  • Install the new speaker and test it out.
  • Install the lower portion of the C-panel, along with the rest of the removed trim pieces.
Figure 9. Replace the parking speaker.

That's all there is to replacing the rear bumper buzzer.

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