Vehicle Study
Code: 51G0
Document History

Date
03/04/2025

Affected Vehicles

Country
USA
USA

Summary
Original publication

Beginning
Model Year
2018
2018

Ending
Model Year
2019
2019

Vehicle

Vehicle Count

Q5
SQ5

875
141

Check Campaigns/Actions screen in Elsa on the day of inspection to verify that a VIN qualifies under this
action. Elsa is the only valid campaign inquiry & verification source.

About this Study

Code Visibility



Campaign status must show “open.”



If Elsa shows other open action(s), inform your customer so that the inspection can also be
completed at the same time the vehicle is in the workshop for this campaign.

Audi is conducting a study of vehicles that are being operated in parts of the United States
known to frequently use road salt during the winter months.

•

Under this study, dealers will take pictures of both front side members to send for
analysis.

•

Audi has a specific number of vehicles that they would like to photograph under this
program. Once this goal is reached, the study will be concluded, and no additional
appointments will be scheduled. Dealers will be notified once the study has received the
requested level of response.

On or about March 04, 2025, the 51G0 code will be applied to vehicles selected for this study.

Owner Notification

Owner notification will take place in March 2025. An owner letter example is included in this
bulletin for your reference.

Additional Information

Please alert everyone in your dealership about this action, including Sales, Service, Parts
and Accounting personnel. Contact Warranty if you have any questions.

The repair information in this document is intended for use only by skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training to correctly and safely maintain your vehicle. These
procedures are not intended to be attempted by “do-it-yourselfers,” and you should not assume this document applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle has the condition described. To
determine whether this information applies, contact an authorized Audi dealer. 2025 Audi of America, Inc. and Audi Canada. All Rights Reserved.
51G0 Page 1 of 7

Claim Entry Instructions
The labor times listed here may differ from the labor operations and labor times listed in ELSA.
After campaign has been completed, enter claim as soon as possible to help prevent work from being duplicated
elsewhere. Attach the Elsa screen print showing action open on the day of inspection to the repair order.
If a customer declines campaign work, refer to the “Customer Declines Campaign/Update Repair” section in the
Campaign/Update Policy and Procedures Manual.
Service Number
Damage Code
Parts Vendor Code
Claim Type

51G0 (number 0, not letter O)
0099
002
Sold vehicle: 7 10
Unsold vehicle: 7 90

Causal Indicator
Vehicle Wash/Loaner
Criteria I.D.

Mark labor as causal
Do not claim wash/loaner under this action
GY

LABOR
Labor Op

Time Units

5101 01 99

50

Description
Perform side member lifetime analysis

The repair information in this document is intended for use only by skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training to correctly and safely maintain your vehicle. These
procedures are not intended to be attempted by “do-it-yourselfers,” and you should not assume this document applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle has the condition described. To
determine whether this information applies, contact an authorized Audi dealer. 2025 Audi of America, Inc. and Audi Canada. All Rights Reserved.
51G0 Page 2 of 7

Customer Letter Example (USA)

This notice applies to your vehicle: ,
Subject: Invitation to Participate in an Audi Vehicle Study (51G0)
Dear Audi Owner,
Your vehicle has been selected to participate in a study Audi is conducting on vehicles registered in parts of the
United States known to frequently use road salt during the winter months.
•

Under this study, your authorized Audi dealer will take pictures of both front side members under your vehicle
to send for analysis. This will take about an hour to complete and will be FREE of charge. Please keep in
mind that your dealer may need some additional time to accommodate this into their daily workshop schedule.

•

Audi has a specific number of vehicles that they would like to photograph under this program. Once this goal
is reached, the study will be concluded, and no additional appointments will be scheduled.
If you would like to participate in this study, please contact an authorized Audi dealer to schedule an appointment.
For your convenience, you can also visit www.audiusa.com and click on the “Find a Dealer” link to locate a dealer
near you.

•

If you should have any questions about this communication, please contact Audi Customer Experience at 1-800-253-2834
or via our “Contact Us” page at www.audiusa.com.
Sincerely,
Audi Customer Protection

The repair information in this document is intended for use only by skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training to correctly and safely maintain your vehicle. These
procedures are not intended to be attempted by “do-it-yourselfers,” and you should not assume this document applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle has the condition described. To
determine whether this information applies, contact an authorized Audi dealer. 2025 Audi of America, Inc. and Audi Canada. All Rights Reserved.
51G0 Page 3 of 7

Work Instructions
Section A - Check for Previous Repair
•

Enter the VIN in Elsa and proceed to the
“Campaign/Action” screen.

TIP
On the date of repair, print this screen and keep a
copy with the repair order.
•

Confirm the Campaign/Action is open . If the status is closed, no further work is
required.

•

Note the Applicable Criteria ID for use
in determining the correct work to be done and
corresponding parts associated.
CRITICAL REPAIR STEP

STOP!
All campaigns/actions with a repair available must be
performed in order of the Start date . The
oldest should be performed first (unless otherwise
noted in the repair instructions).
Proceed to Section B
NOTE
•

These repair instructions may differ from the labor operations and labor times listed in ELSA.

•

Damages resulting from improper repair or failure to follow these work instructions are the dealer’s
responsibility and are not eligible for reimbursement under this action.

•

This procedure must be read in its entirety prior to performing the repair.

•

Due to variations in vehicle equipment and options, the steps/illustrations in this work procedure may not
identically match all affected vehicles.

•

Diagnosis and repair of pre-existing conditions in the vehicle are not covered under this action.

•

When working during extreme temperatures, it is recommended that the vehicle be allowed to acclimate
inside the shop to avoid temperature-related component damage/breakage.

The repair information in this document is intended for use only by skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training to correctly and safely maintain your vehicle. These
procedures are not intended to be attempted by “do-it-yourselfers,” and you should not assume this document applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle has the condition described. To
determine whether this information applies, contact an authorized Audi dealer. 2025 Audi of America, Inc. and Audi Canada. All Rights Reserved.
51G0 Page 4 of 7

Section B – Work Procedure
•

Remove front underbody trim panels and
.

•

Loosen side trim panel fasteners as
needed.

•

Both front side members will be inspected.

•

Remove fastener and
underbody cover slightly.

•

Wipe area clean with a sponge and warm
water to remove road residue.

pull

down

The repair information in this document is intended for use only by skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training to correctly and safely maintain your vehicle. These
procedures are not intended to be attempted by “do-it-yourselfers,” and you should not assume this document applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle has the condition described. To
determine whether this information applies, contact an authorized Audi dealer. 2025 Audi of America, Inc. and Audi Canada. All Rights Reserved.
51G0 Page 5 of 7

•

•

Take one clear photo of each front side
member:
o

Add a metric ruler in the image as a
reference marker.

o

The direction of view should be from
directly below the side member.

o

Adequate illumination and clarity must
be used.

Create a TAC Web Ticket as follows:
1. Select the correct concern group: 51G0 Vehicle Study – Web Ticket Only
2. Enter your preferred e-mail address.
3. Select “I will wait for a web response.”
4. Attach the photos to the case (max single attachment size = 10 MB / total upload size = 51 MB).

•

Submit the TAC case, no additional work is necessary and vehicle can be released to the customer.

•

As long as no further information is needed, AoA will close the TAC case.
•

Reinstall the underbody covers and torque
fasteners to 2 Nm.

Proceed to Section C

The repair information in this document is intended for use only by skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training to correctly and safely maintain your vehicle. These
procedures are not intended to be attempted by “do-it-yourselfers,” and you should not assume this document applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle has the condition described. To
determine whether this information applies, contact an authorized Audi dealer. 2025 Audi of America, Inc. and Audi Canada. All Rights Reserved.
51G0 Page 6 of 7

Section C – Campaign Completion Stamp
•

Once the campaign has been completed,
the technician should stamp the repair
order.

•

Stamps are available for ordering through
the Compliance Label Ordering Portal.

Item#: AUD4927ENG

The repair information in this document is intended for use only by skilled technicians who have the proper tools, equipment and training to correctly and safely maintain your vehicle. These
procedures are not intended to be attempted by “do-it-yourselfers,” and you should not assume this document applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle has the condition described. To
determine whether this information applies, contact an authorized Audi dealer. 2025 Audi of America, Inc. and Audi Canada. All Rights Reserved.
51G0 Page 7 of 7