Audi S5 B9 Sportback - 3.0 V6 Turbo
Discussion
Percy. said:
Thankyou.
I have roughly gone through the B9 A4 brochure and worked it out from there, but would like the list like you have.
Was it a case of just emailing your local Audi dealership or Audi UK?
I did my query via the salesman, imagine if you give your local dealer a call the service department can share it - maybe ask for a copy of your digital history at the same time so it’s less annoying ! I have roughly gone through the B9 A4 brochure and worked it out from there, but would like the list like you have.
Was it a case of just emailing your local Audi dealership or Audi UK?
Upon driving the later B9.5 I found myself hankering for the facelift gear shifter, which offers a perforated / dimpled finish over the flat.
Mine:
I couldn’t find a part number and figured Audi would be expensive, so looked at aftermarket. This photo was enough to put me off:
The perforations are not staggered, nor are they even straight…..
I couldn’t find any second hand OEM ones either until a thought shot through my mind. I ended up buying this entire unit for £40 on eBay!:
Now obviously I have no intention of replacing the mechanism. All I wanted was the leather cap which pops off by gripping, squeezing and slightly pulling upwards, then jamming a pry tool in the passenger side to release it fully.
It arrived in excellent condition but before installing I gave it a good clean to lift dirt in the dimples. I also applied the magic eraser treatment, first time user they are amazing!
Before:
After:
Quick fitting:
Cleaned up the old one too, amazing difference before and after:
Will be chucking the selector unit back on eBay and anything I get for it is a bonus. I’ll keep the original leather cap I guess.
Mine:
I couldn’t find a part number and figured Audi would be expensive, so looked at aftermarket. This photo was enough to put me off:
The perforations are not staggered, nor are they even straight…..
I couldn’t find any second hand OEM ones either until a thought shot through my mind. I ended up buying this entire unit for £40 on eBay!:
Now obviously I have no intention of replacing the mechanism. All I wanted was the leather cap which pops off by gripping, squeezing and slightly pulling upwards, then jamming a pry tool in the passenger side to release it fully.
It arrived in excellent condition but before installing I gave it a good clean to lift dirt in the dimples. I also applied the magic eraser treatment, first time user they are amazing!
Before:
After:
Quick fitting:
Cleaned up the old one too, amazing difference before and after:
Will be chucking the selector unit back on eBay and anything I get for it is a bonus. I’ll keep the original leather cap I guess.
Just a quick update on the S5.
Now on 34k, average MPG seems to settle at around 25 for my use across a tank. Getting up to 36 on the motorway (did 370 miles in one go and it was very comfortable and a nice place to be.)
Like:
-Heated & Massaging seats - Don't use the massage that often but it's nice to stretch you on a long journey.
-Performance - Engine and gearbox are a great combo, AWD grip is immense to the point of 1st gear rolling starts in Sport/Dynamic has zero wheelsman even in the wet.
Dislike:
-I find the roofline a little low which is a pain when reaching inside the car to get something out of the armrest, or rear seats for instance. Pretty minor but I'm not tall - it would be really hard if I was.
-Rattles - Overall it's a really solid build and I think am lucky considering some of the stuff I have read. But from the stereo system, I'd like to turn it up a little more and add more bass but I can't without it buzzing the interior. Will dynamat at some point.
-Rear rattles are far worse - I would like to have spent more time on this already but every time I do it rains. Basically I have an interior movement/rattle over harsh bumps. Coupled with the hard suspension it does it quite often and takes away from the otherwise premium feel.
I have taken a load of steps already and have been making a list of solutions of others found online! Overall so far, I think I have realised I had 2 unique noises. The first was the rear seat bench (larger side) had a lot of flex as it doesn't connect to anything in the centre. I have added some foam padding to the back of the seat to pad it out and reduce it. That was a shuffling sort of sound.
The rattle is still eluding me though. Here's what I have done/plan to hit next:
Rear seat bench:
-Felt between seat and plastic pillars
-Felt on metal latches
-Bracing for larger seat portion to reduce movement
Boot floor/Tool area:
-Tools removed
-Tool tray padded out to reduce movement
-Rubber boot liner added to muffle sounds
Wheel well:
-Battery terminal cover padded with sponge and clamped down
-Battery cables wrapped in microfibre where they meet the bodywork
-Subwoofer checked for movement
-Spare wheel checked for movement
Parcel shelves:
-Felt added to 3x pins on window shelf
-Temporary foam added where window shelf meets seat shelf
To do:
-Check number plate surround for movement
-Adjust boot stops
-Check rear bump stops seated properly (Bulletin 2038689/3)
-Check seatbelt mechanisms
-Check for felt on underside of boot latch hinge
-Add felt to spring back on parcel shelf
-Check if rattles reduced with centre seat down but either side up
-Check rear pillar above speakers
-With seats down check for tailgate movement
-Add felt between rear window and plastic boot inner
-Add felt to rear door latches
-Check with seatbelts engaged
-Add felt to the latch mechanisms in the seats themselves
-Add padding between spare wheel and the boot liner
-Locating pins left in the rear hatch from manufacturer
Front:
-Add felt to centre speaker mount touch points
Any other pointers welcomed! It's not that major to be honest but what I hate most about rattles is that there is a solution, you just have to find it!
Now on 34k, average MPG seems to settle at around 25 for my use across a tank. Getting up to 36 on the motorway (did 370 miles in one go and it was very comfortable and a nice place to be.)
Like:
-Heated & Massaging seats - Don't use the massage that often but it's nice to stretch you on a long journey.
-Performance - Engine and gearbox are a great combo, AWD grip is immense to the point of 1st gear rolling starts in Sport/Dynamic has zero wheelsman even in the wet.
Dislike:
-I find the roofline a little low which is a pain when reaching inside the car to get something out of the armrest, or rear seats for instance. Pretty minor but I'm not tall - it would be really hard if I was.
-Rattles - Overall it's a really solid build and I think am lucky considering some of the stuff I have read. But from the stereo system, I'd like to turn it up a little more and add more bass but I can't without it buzzing the interior. Will dynamat at some point.
-Rear rattles are far worse - I would like to have spent more time on this already but every time I do it rains. Basically I have an interior movement/rattle over harsh bumps. Coupled with the hard suspension it does it quite often and takes away from the otherwise premium feel.
I have taken a load of steps already and have been making a list of solutions of others found online! Overall so far, I think I have realised I had 2 unique noises. The first was the rear seat bench (larger side) had a lot of flex as it doesn't connect to anything in the centre. I have added some foam padding to the back of the seat to pad it out and reduce it. That was a shuffling sort of sound.
The rattle is still eluding me though. Here's what I have done/plan to hit next:
Rear seat bench:
-Felt between seat and plastic pillars
-Felt on metal latches
-Bracing for larger seat portion to reduce movement
Boot floor/Tool area:
-Tools removed
-Tool tray padded out to reduce movement
-Rubber boot liner added to muffle sounds
Wheel well:
-Battery terminal cover padded with sponge and clamped down
-Battery cables wrapped in microfibre where they meet the bodywork
-Subwoofer checked for movement
-Spare wheel checked for movement
Parcel shelves:
-Felt added to 3x pins on window shelf
-Temporary foam added where window shelf meets seat shelf
To do:
-Check number plate surround for movement
-Adjust boot stops
-Check rear bump stops seated properly (Bulletin 2038689/3)
-Check seatbelt mechanisms
-Check for felt on underside of boot latch hinge
-Add felt to spring back on parcel shelf
-Check if rattles reduced with centre seat down but either side up
-Check rear pillar above speakers
-With seats down check for tailgate movement
-Add felt between rear window and plastic boot inner
-Add felt to rear door latches
-Check with seatbelts engaged
-Add felt to the latch mechanisms in the seats themselves
-Add padding between spare wheel and the boot liner
-Locating pins left in the rear hatch from manufacturer
Front:
-Add felt to centre speaker mount touch points
Any other pointers welcomed! It's not that major to be honest but what I hate most about rattles is that there is a solution, you just have to find it!
Edited by joropug on Wednesday 18th January 10:44
mholt1995 said:
Apologies if you'd called it out but it's worth removing the parcel shelf speaker grilles as a troubleshooting option too.
Had a B9 A4 with B&O myself and after countless trips to various dealers, it was never resolved and puts me off getting a B9 S5 sportback which a shame because, as I previously mentioned in this thread, I find them to be a real looker in Navarra Blue and would otherwise love one at some point!
I've made it sound worse than it is - but I want it to be perfect. Had a B9 A4 with B&O myself and after countless trips to various dealers, it was never resolved and puts me off getting a B9 S5 sportback which a shame because, as I previously mentioned in this thread, I find them to be a real looker in Navarra Blue and would otherwise love one at some point!
There are no speakers in the shelf of the S5 SB - it has 2, smaller shelves that overlap when the boot is shut.
They were/are making noise hitting each other, but it's not the particular noise I'm looking for as I've driven without them in the car many times sadly.
TheLoraxxZeus said:
Nice car. Can you post a video of the exhaust note with the valves open and closed? You bigged it up but never really shared haha.
Autop NL do a great job demonstrating the sound of the car. Much better than I could capture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5SMAbZVhdo
DiscoSINGH said:
Great write up OP!
I have a 2018 SQ5 3.0 tfsi, so same running gear as your S5 SB!
These are great cars, mine on the day I collected it (owned for 3.5 years now)
Cracking car - I must admit I didn’t look at the SQ5 as A) My wife had a Q3 , which she has since sold anyway and B) I stupidly assumed they were diesel still. I have a 2018 SQ5 3.0 tfsi, so same running gear as your S5 SB!
These are great cars, mine on the day I collected it (owned for 3.5 years now)
They were probably dearer than the Sport Back anyway so may not have been viable but I’ve never had an SUV and is likely the box I tick next, hopefully not anytime soon though.
Nelka said:
OP - might not be of immediate use, but I just extended the warranty with Audi on mine for a year, costing what I thought was a reasonable £400.
I know folk will say “oh, just put the money in a bank account”, but 400 quid ain’t gonna touch the sides for a big ticket failure on something like this….
That is excellent, I’m sure they mentioned 600-800 roughly when I asked but it was a bit woolly. How do you organise it ? I know folk will say “oh, just put the money in a bank account”, but 400 quid ain’t gonna touch the sides for a big ticket failure on something like this….
I bought the servicing package the other day following an email from Audi with a great offer.
She said that normally two services and a brake fluid change was circa £750 , the offer was 25% off two services (one minor one major) and a free brake fluid change. Even better, 0% interest. £18.72 a month I think it is, circa £450. Great value and keeps the full Audi history.
Just had a bit of a result today - I ticked off a few of my ideas for the rattle detection!
Started with the number plate surround, pulling it and releasing it causes it to twang against the bodywork. There’s padding behind it but not enough. I’ve removed it and drilled some old plates directly on.
Added some more felt to the parcel shelves
Added felt to the metal hinged bit where the boot patches in.
Realised one pillar panel wasn’t 100% clipped in - possibly from when Audi did a PDR on the roof (lining was removed)
Went for a road test….suddenly it was worse than ever which prompted me to stop and take a look - the parcel shelves weren’t interlocking so they were sat on one another.
And that seems to be 95% of the problem! I’d removed the shelves lots of times but was hearing what I now think was the number plate, so had ruled them out but they too were problematic.
Still going to look at opportunities for the final 5% but it feels so much better driving it as it is now than it ever has done.
Started with the number plate surround, pulling it and releasing it causes it to twang against the bodywork. There’s padding behind it but not enough. I’ve removed it and drilled some old plates directly on.
Added some more felt to the parcel shelves
Added felt to the metal hinged bit where the boot patches in.
Realised one pillar panel wasn’t 100% clipped in - possibly from when Audi did a PDR on the roof (lining was removed)
Went for a road test….suddenly it was worse than ever which prompted me to stop and take a look - the parcel shelves weren’t interlocking so they were sat on one another.
And that seems to be 95% of the problem! I’d removed the shelves lots of times but was hearing what I now think was the number plate, so had ruled them out but they too were problematic.
Still going to look at opportunities for the final 5% but it feels so much better driving it as it is now than it ever has done.
Finally, I have definitively found and resolved the rattle!
There were quite a few little noises that I have improved but the main one always remained, I was constantly waiting for it over sharp bumps and the noise made the car feel cheap/too hard.
It was..... two rubber boot stops for the tailgate. I was pretty convinced that the tailgate was moving but I couldn't ever replicate it. All I had to do to resolve was remove the rubber stop, opened each one a full turn then replaced the rubber cap.It must have been moving mm's but the weight of the huge tailgate over the sharp bumps must have shaking it's innards.
(Not my car)
So happy it's resolved as it was ruining my experience of the car.
Overall my impressions remain unchanged, I love it. Have stretched it out quite a bit recently and it really brings a smile to my face.
MPG is averaging about 24 over a tank, little higher if I do some motorway in that. The tank feels very small for the size / consumption of the car - it would annoy me if I was doing more miles.
There were quite a few little noises that I have improved but the main one always remained, I was constantly waiting for it over sharp bumps and the noise made the car feel cheap/too hard.
It was..... two rubber boot stops for the tailgate. I was pretty convinced that the tailgate was moving but I couldn't ever replicate it. All I had to do to resolve was remove the rubber stop, opened each one a full turn then replaced the rubber cap.It must have been moving mm's but the weight of the huge tailgate over the sharp bumps must have shaking it's innards.
(Not my car)
So happy it's resolved as it was ruining my experience of the car.
Overall my impressions remain unchanged, I love it. Have stretched it out quite a bit recently and it really brings a smile to my face.
MPG is averaging about 24 over a tank, little higher if I do some motorway in that. The tank feels very small for the size / consumption of the car - it would annoy me if I was doing more miles.
When I bought the S5 the dealership offered the ‘paint protection’ package - I declined this as I had heard it was a rip off at the best of times, but I could also see the paint needed a proper correction which they wouldn’t do.
After buying the car, during my first wash, I also noticed:
-Small scratch on the OSF wing
-Small scratch on the OSF Bumper corner
-Small scratches on the roof (roof rack or cat I reckon)
-Small scratch on the NSR door
-Small scratch on the NSR wing
-Light hazing after the bonnet respray where I think a dirty cloth was used when the paint was soft.
The paint was due for some love. A local detailer had the following package and had photos of a black S5 Cabriolet on his profile, it looked incredible so gave him a go.
The package included:
-One full day of detailing
-Full deep clean of exterior
-Engine bay deep cleaned
-Arches deep cleaned
-Paint decontaminated
-Single Stage Paint Correction (machine polishing)
-3 year gtechniq crystal serum light ceramic coating
I was sent a few preview pictures and videos throughout the day and things were looking great after just the paint correction:
Collected at the end of the day, wow is all I can say. The paintwork looks incredible, Navarra blue is a really awesome colour that flips between Navy, bright blue and purple depending on the light.
Will let the photos speak for themselves.
After buying the car, during my first wash, I also noticed:
-Small scratch on the OSF wing
-Small scratch on the OSF Bumper corner
-Small scratches on the roof (roof rack or cat I reckon)
-Small scratch on the NSR door
-Small scratch on the NSR wing
-Light hazing after the bonnet respray where I think a dirty cloth was used when the paint was soft.
The paint was due for some love. A local detailer had the following package and had photos of a black S5 Cabriolet on his profile, it looked incredible so gave him a go.
The package included:
-One full day of detailing
-Full deep clean of exterior
-Engine bay deep cleaned
-Arches deep cleaned
-Paint decontaminated
-Single Stage Paint Correction (machine polishing)
-3 year gtechniq crystal serum light ceramic coating
I was sent a few preview pictures and videos throughout the day and things were looking great after just the paint correction:
Collected at the end of the day, wow is all I can say. The paintwork looks incredible, Navarra blue is a really awesome colour that flips between Navy, bright blue and purple depending on the light.
Will let the photos speak for themselves.
Edited by joropug on Monday 17th April 20:34
Dr G said:
Looks great, you must be pleased with that!
Navarra is a lovely colour, but does seem to both highlight and pick up more than its fair share of minor marks.
Over the moon it looks brand new. Navarra is a lovely colour, but does seem to both highlight and pick up more than its fair share of minor marks.
Yes I must admit - I have always swerved darker colours as I find them hard to look after. Our driveway has changed from a white C Class and a white Q3 to a navy Audi and black Mercedes. Difficulty has increased a notch!
There’s a video here which shows the quality of the work:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrMa_EeLWdS/?igshid...
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrMa_EeLWdS/?igshid...
DirktheDaring said:
Looks epic in that colour, but I’d be scared to park it anywhere with so many careless door bangers. 
Did they give you/recommend any products to maintain it?
I’m a big fan of Gyeon Wet Coat, so easy to apply and really does work well as a last step product on paint, wheels and glass etc.
I’ll keep an eye out for the car as those pictures were taken very close to where I live, it’s a small world
Thanks! I am a paranoid parker, so it's always as far away from danger as possible! Yes I'm near Poole, sadly not Sandbanks though! Wanted to get a few photos whilst it was still light as it will never look as good as this again. Did they give you/recommend any products to maintain it?
I’m a big fan of Gyeon Wet Coat, so easy to apply and really does work well as a last step product on paint, wheels and glass etc.
I’ll keep an eye out for the car as those pictures were taken very close to where I live, it’s a small world
I'm going to ask him what products he recommends actually, good shout.
Bought a wireless CarPlay kit this week - great bit of kit so far! No loss of audio quality, boots quickly and bridges the gap between phone and car. Connects automatically.
Given the phone is no longer in the armrest (awkward to open and shut/connect the cable) I also got a brodit mount for my phone as already had the iPhone half of it from my last car:
Given the phone is no longer in the armrest (awkward to open and shut/connect the cable) I also got a brodit mount for my phone as already had the iPhone half of it from my last car:
Gave the car a thorough interior clean today, interior is now spanking. Every cubby has a removable rubber mat, so took them all out to clean too.
Seats treated to Dr Leather wipes, these are amazing if you haven’t heard of them. Simultaneously cleans and treats your leather. Even got some slight blue dye transfer from my jeans out without any fuss.
Exterior also washed - my god it’s so much easier to clean after the ceramic! A thorough snow foam , jet wash, careful hand wash and dry with a freshly cleaned thick microfibre.
Far less water on the car to dry off and less dirt stuck to it in the first place.
It was when sticking the pressure washer head in the wheel arches I noticed that it was tighter on one side than the other at the rear. I got the measuring tape out and was shocked to see there was approximately 2cm difference in the wheel arch gaps.
Interestingly, I have looked at my many photos of the car….I think it was like this when I bought it! I have just never noticed it before.
Will be phoning Audi in the morning and making use of the warranty I expect. Hopefully something simple, maybe even the part that Nelka mentioned:
Seats treated to Dr Leather wipes, these are amazing if you haven’t heard of them. Simultaneously cleans and treats your leather. Even got some slight blue dye transfer from my jeans out without any fuss.
Exterior also washed - my god it’s so much easier to clean after the ceramic! A thorough snow foam , jet wash, careful hand wash and dry with a freshly cleaned thick microfibre.
Far less water on the car to dry off and less dirt stuck to it in the first place.
It was when sticking the pressure washer head in the wheel arches I noticed that it was tighter on one side than the other at the rear. I got the measuring tape out and was shocked to see there was approximately 2cm difference in the wheel arch gaps.
Interestingly, I have looked at my many photos of the car….I think it was like this when I bought it! I have just never noticed it before.
Will be phoning Audi in the morning and making use of the warranty I expect. Hopefully something simple, maybe even the part that Nelka mentioned:
Nelka said:
The rear lower spring mounts are prone to splitting. I just replaced my near side one at 27k miles. Some info on page 4 of my thread below.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Audi have approved the rear suspension under the approved used warranty,
It is indeed the Aluminium plate splitting and causing water ingress into the rubber mount. Interestingly, it is the passenger side which is broken - the lower ride height is the correct ride height and the driver's side is fine.
Safe to drive on and booked in for completion. Nice.
It is indeed the Aluminium plate splitting and causing water ingress into the rubber mount. Interestingly, it is the passenger side which is broken - the lower ride height is the correct ride height and the driver's side is fine.
Safe to drive on and booked in for completion. Nice.
Nelka said:
Was my passenger side too. Driver's side still looks perfect almost a year on. I bought two anyway just in case. Think they were £15.
Annoying (well for me anyway
) that they are covering you under warranty, they tried to rinse me for £250 even though I was under approved used too. They pulled the wear & tear card. Good result!
The wireless carplay thingy looks good, might have a look at that.
That is unlucky! I hadn't even considered it being wear and tear, it's not a consumable part - guess you could argue it either way but got great service as always at Poole Audi. Annoying (well for me anyway
) that they are covering you under warranty, they tried to rinse me for £250 even though I was under approved used too. They pulled the wear & tear card. Good result!The wireless carplay thingy looks good, might have a look at that.
Booked in for a few weeks time as I have a bit going on next few weeks - Going to tie it in with Service (few weeks early), Brake fluid (month early) and MOT (month early) to get it all done in one go.
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