robodoc

Just picked up my new 2014 3.0 Q5 Prem plus. Was trying to install a child's car seat in the rear but the head restraint is making it difficult. The service folks at the dealer couldn't seem to remove them but they were able to remove them from a 2012 Q5. They said they'd look into it, but was wondering if anyone here with a 2014 Q5 had tried to remove them.

spijun

You have a version 2, which requires the use of special tools 3371
Show this to the dealer
Perhaps this will help

robodoc

Thank you spijun, this is extremely helpful! It looks like this is a simple tool and that if I had it I could do this myself. Does that sound right? I'll search around the web to see if it is obtainable. I don't want to have to go a dealer every time I need to remove the headrest since there are times where I need to remove the child seat to allow adults to sit in the back.

spijun

I also think it's a simple tool.

I may be wrong but I think this is the tool for measuring

MP4.2+6.0

Perhaps other 2013's as well?; mine has the Sport seat option if that matters.

I ran into this in Europe when I wanted to remove a headrest so I could put a suitcase vertically behind the driver's seat in the footwell with the rear passenger seat also folded down and the headrest otherwise sticking too far forward.

Annoying safety nanny feature was my reaction. Audi's always worked fine with the "old" system. Something tells me this interlock is somehow magically not going to work once I play with it a bit...

robodoc

Turns out you don't need this tool, you really just need any thin hard piece of plastic or even the back end of a butter knife. A credit card works fine. You just slip it under that plastic cap and push a bit towards the pillar, while pushing the tab on the other pillar. What I somehow missed originally when looking at the pics above is that that buried release device is on the pillar opposite the one that has the exposed release (if facing the seats, the hidden one is on the left, the one you press to move the restraint up and down is on the right). If I had to guess, there will be a number of owners with children and car seats who will struggle for a while with this. It's hard to properly fit some of the car seats in without removing the headrest.

spijun

So the problem is solved

Gossip Girl

I wanted to reverse the front headrests but was told that was impossible because they are connected to the collision detection system. Reversing them is actually a much better and more comfortable position for your neck. And much safer, too, according to my physical therapist. Does anyone know if you can do the same thing to the front headrests? Not remove them, just reverse them.

NABS4

I strongly recommend against doing this. The headrests were designed by automotive engineers whose job it is do so such things, as well as crash tested by various agencies who are are also experts in such matters. What does you physical therapist know about reducing head and neck movement in collisions? Were the headrests crash tested in a reverse position?

Gossip Girl

<Sigh> I guess I was asking to be flamed. My PT knows a heck of a lot more than automotive engineers. Automotive engineers do not know about body dynamics, that is clear. You WILL hyperextend your neck with the current configuration in a crash. If it is reversed your neck will go straight back and be held in an upright position, which is far better than being hyperextended. And please do not condescend to me with your uninformed remarks.