JBDinTX

Wish Audi had what Subaru has. They have an area on the lower windsheild the look like defroster lines that the wipers rest on. Very cool!!!!

Kris Hansen

Diesels will run cooler in extreme cold..

Pratfall

The central vents in my relatively new Q5 TDI refuse to blow warm air as well. I'm glad to see it's normal and not a heating system on the fritz. But either way I've still been underwhelmed by the speed with which the Q5 heats up in the winter.

Q5 TDI

Ah no it's not. -17 below here in Chicagoland the past month and no problems with my TDI.

JBDinTX

I thought the TDI's had a supplemental electric heater to prevent this.

AudioBear

On their website they claim only "heated windshield washer nozzles." And, as in most cars, defrost air can be aimed at the windshield.

As has been noted elsewhere in the forum, there may be an electric heater in the HVAC system that is designed to provide heat for passengers before the engine warms up (diesels being slower to warm). If that is so, the TDI should have warm defroster air available pretty quickly but for a car that claims to have it all for winter, Audi USA falls more than a little short.

Why not heated steering wheels in all, or at least the upper tier models like Q5 and A6? Where's the headlamp washers that Canada gets? Why don't they have the windshield heater wires that Subarus have? I am sure that we can think of other winter friendly features/options that would make Audi a better winter car in the USA. It's almost as if the company doesn't believe US winters are worth worrying about.

If I didn't garage my car I might not have bought an A6 TDI in spite of how much I like everything else about it.

Kris Hansen

The heated windshield wiper zone is something I'd "designed" long ago, and suddenly saw it on a Chrysler van I think, and now Subaru.. It's brilliant, and I'm amazed more mfgs don't offer it on the "cold weather package"...

As for TDIs running cold, pay attention to all of the trucks you see on the road. Many, if not all, will have a snap on cover for the front grille, to reduce the airflow over the radiators.. Diesels just run cold in the winter. I had a Q7 TDI press loaner last fall, and even in late VT fall freezing temps, it seemed to struggle to warm up.

Bob Petruska

and leaving in northeastern PA. All 3(2-A4s, 1-Q5) have had the worst front window defrosting/deicing of all the cars i ever owned. I also own a Subaru Outback and that heating system/AC has it all over the Audi's.

sevarino

make sure you have winter wipers like the Trico ice. The OEM wipers are terrible in freezing weather. I also find this vehicle (2014 SQ5) warms up ore slowly than other vehicles I've had, but so far with temps down to 0F the defrost has worked OK. Heated wheel would be nice for these old arthritic hands.

stash64

I too have been disappointed with the Q5 wiper action, especially considering my A3 had far and away the best wiper performance of any car I have owned. The A3 wipers were incredibly quick, quiet, and effective. Not so much with the Q.