What 6 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Audi SQ5

STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IS A KNOWN DEFECT ON EVERY MLB-PLATFORM AUDI MODEL. MY SQ5, LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, HAS DEVELOPED A KNOWN DEFECT THAT CAUSES A SQUEAKING/CREAKING THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. IT CAN ALSO BE FAINTLY HEARD. INSTEAD OF INITIATING A RECALL TO FIX THE ISSUE, AUDI HAS RELEASED TONS OF TSBS THAT ONLY COVER IN-WARRANTY CARS, EVEN THOUGH MAY CARS DEVELOP THIS PROBLEM WITH AS LITTLE AS 20,000 MILES. AT 53,000 MILES, MY CAR HAS THIS ISSUE NOW AND I'LL BE FORCED TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR A REPAIR THAT EITHER INCLUDES REPLACING PARTS OF THE STEERING SHAFT OR DISASSEMBLING PART OF THE STEERING SHAFT AND LUBRICATING IT. IT IS A BIT SHOCKING THAT 10 YEARS LATER AUDI IS STILL NOT RECALLING THESE CARS TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL. AS THIS ISSUE PROGRESSES, THE STEERING CAN PROGRESSIVELY GET HARD AND HARDER FOR THE DRIVER TO TURN POTENTIALLY INCREASING CHANCES OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11413643

THE AUDI SQ 5 LOSES POWER STEERING IF THE RACK/PINION POWER STEERING UNIT IS EXPOSED TO WATER. THIS DOES NOT REFER TO FLOODING OR SUBMERGED CAR AUDI CONSIDERS WEATHER AN OUTSIDE INFLUENCE AND DOES NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY THE CAR RETAINS FULL PROPULSION BUT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE ELECTRICAL MECHANISM ON THE POWER STEERING IS DANGEROUSLY EXPOSED , AND APPARENTLY NOT WEATHER PROOF I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN IN A HEAVY RAIN STORM UP THE APRON OF A DRIVEWAY TO A PARKING LOT. I DROVE THE CAR 100-150 FEET TO A SECURE SPOT TO WAIT OUT A HEAVY HOUSTON RAINSTORM . THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR CAME ON SIGNALLING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AS THE CAR SAT IN THE SPOT FOR OVER 1 MINUTE I ASSUME THE WATER I PUSHED UP IN FRONT OF ME AS I WENT UP THE APRON GOT UNDER THE CAR AND INTO THE MECHANISM THE CAR WAS NEVER STATIONARY IN ANY DEEP WATER, AND NEVER IN WATER DEEPER THAN 3 INCHES THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE CAR MAINTAINED FULL PROPLUSION

NHTSA ODI 11219220