2025 Audi A5/Q5 Rear Occupant Detection Warning TSB

Owners of certain 2025 Audi A5, S5, Q5, and SQ5 models may encounter unexpected and potentially alarming warnings related to the vehicle's rear occupant detection system. This issue, detailed in Audi Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 2080144/2, can lead to the vehicle's horn sounding and lights flashing even when no actual threat is present. This TSB provides a solution through a software update to correct the false alarms.

Symptoms of the 2025 Audi A5 Rear Occupant Detection Issue

Owners may observe two primary scenarios indicating a problem with the 2025 Audi A5 rear occupant detection system:

• When no rear occupants are present: The vehicle displays "a warning message appears, and the horn of the vehicle may sound, and the lights may flash." This can be particularly disruptive and confusing, as it suggests an anti-theft alarm or other critical event is occurring without cause.
• When rear occupants are present: The vehicle displays "a warning message appears but the horn of the vehicle does not sound, and the lights do not flash." While less severe than the first scenario, this still indicates a malfunction in the detection system, providing an unnecessary warning.

These events are often interpreted by owners as an unintentional triggering of the anti-theft alarm, leading to concern and inconvenience. The core problem is the rear occupant detection system generating false positives.

Technical Background of the Issue

The rear occupant detection system, which was introduced for the 2025 model year, is designed to enhance safety. However, issues have been identified where this system can inadvertently trigger warnings. This can happen more or less frequently depending on various conditions, leading to the symptoms described above. The system's sensitivity or calibration may be at fault, causing it to misinterpret conditions as a potential threat or presence.

Diagnosis and Trigger Conditions

One notable aspect of this issue is that no DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) are logged in the vehicle's system. This means that traditional diagnostic scans may not immediately reveal a fault code pointing to the problem. Instead, technicians must rely on the customer's description of the symptoms and can reproduce the condition by checking the measured value blocks of the anti-theft alarm system, even though the anti-theft alarm itself is not the primary trigger of the complaint.

Repair Procedure Summary

The prescribed solution for the 2025 Audi A5 rear occupant detection issue is a software update. This update is specifically detailed in TSB 2079690, titled "00 Combined software update 03.10.00/C (28.13.01) KD2." The repair involves:

1. Connecting a battery charger to the vehicle to maintain stable voltage during the update process.
2. Performing the software update, which includes all necessary preliminary and follow-up work, such as bus sleep cycle management and calibration drives.

This procedure ensures that the vehicle's control units receive the latest programming to correctly interpret data from the rear occupant detection system, thereby preventing false warnings.

Important Warnings and What Owners Should Know

Owners should be aware of a critical detail regarding TSB 2080144/2: The release date for this Technical Service Bulletin is December 19, 2025. This means that the TSB is a future-dated document, and your authorized Audi dealer may not have the necessary software update or information available until this date or later. If you experience these symptoms before December 19, 2025, your dealer might not yet have the official fix. It is important to communicate the specific symptoms clearly to your service advisor.

Furthermore, the absence of logged DTCs does not mean there is no problem. The symptoms described are sufficient evidence of the malfunction, and the software update is designed to address it.

Warranty Information and Labor Operations

This TSB outlines specific warranty claim procedures for dealers. If the vehicle is outside of its warranty period, this Technical Service Bulletin serves as informational guidance only, and repair costs may apply. For vehicles under warranty, the repair should be covered.

• Service Number: 9602
• Damage Code: KD02

Labor Operations:

• 0151 0010: Software update, including connecting the battery charger. This operation refers to the Service Repair Time (SRT) for associated tasks.
• 0151 0040: Fixed rate for the comprehensive software update, encompassing all required preliminary and follow-up work, including bus sleep cycle management, calibration drives, and other necessary tasks. This is allotted 130 Time Units (TU).
• 0150 9999: In cases where additional attempts are needed after a flash abort, an additional lump sum of 50 TU can be claimed per flash cancellation. This ensures that dealers are compensated for complex or interrupted update procedures.

All warranty claims must adhere to the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures Manual and are subject to audit by Audi Warranty.

Owner Action

If you own a 2025 Audi A5, S5, Q5, or SQ5 and are experiencing the described symptoms of unwanted horn sounding or lights flashing due to the 2025 Audi A5 rear occupant detection system, you should:

1. Document the symptoms: Note when and under what conditions the warnings occur.
2. Contact your authorized Audi dealer: Schedule a service appointment. Be sure to mention the specific symptoms you are experiencing.
3. Reference TSB 2080144/2: Inform your service advisor about this Technical Service Bulletin, especially noting its future release date of December 19, 2025. This will help ensure they are aware of the upcoming fix, even if it's not yet officially available.

Since this is a software update requiring specialized tools and procedures, it is not a repair that can be performed at home. The update will be performed by trained technicians at an authorized Audi service center.

NHTSA ID: 11027433