Major complaint
 

2 major snow events I been through, windshield won't stay clear and ice forms, impeding the wipers swiping. Can't get the defrost hot enough. Is this a symptom of the diesel?

Well, I'm not too far from you and the little driving I did, I had the similar issue - ice forming on the blades and some ice on the windshield.
Perhaps if I had driven longer the front windshield defroster would have cleared the window better.

Bob

Has not been a issue with our Q5. And we had some major snow and below zero weather and the car was parked outside overnight for a couple of weeks due to the work being done on the house.

There is a windshield defrost button. Are you using it? Also, turn your temp up.

yes & yes...80 deg temp on the MMI, cranked the fan speed to 11/12 max setting.
I cannot believe I am the only driver with this experience.
The first time this happened around Christmas, I stopped several times within an hour to try clearing the blades.

Make sure that you have super winter blend windshield washer fluid in it and blast the wipers and windshield with the heated fluid. The wipers will de-ice.

I've found it QUITE difficult to keep my window clear as well, to be honest. Very easily worse compared to my previous Accord...

Have winter fluid and I feel like I am going through it like water - I need to spray LOTS so that it will completely clear - only to get all ruined and uncleanable a short time later...

Did I read somewhere that we have heated sprayer nozzles or something? Anyone know the details?

I wonder if this is a HVAC setting issue of some kind? A round here we've had a brutal winter so far. Extremely cold, way more snow than normal and no problem with the Q5 to date. I haven't done anything with the settings so no idea what it might be.

I've not had any issues with my 2014 2.0T in Wisconsin, but I have found it odd that I have yet to notice any air coming from the two center vents in the dash this winter. I use "Auto" mode all the time with a 72F temperature setting. The two side dash vents put out plenty of air and so do the windshield vents. I've assumed that there is some logic built in that re-directs air away from the center dash vents and to the windshield vents when the temps are cold.

This is just conjecture, but I wonder if those with problems are seeing lots of center dash vent flow and not enough windshield vent flow. Perhaps there is a software update that would help.