NHTSA Complaint #11174518 — 2015 AUDI Q5

IT WAS AN UNUSUALLY COLD DAY (-14 DEGREES) IN MICHIGAN. I HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR EARLIER THAT DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR LATER I WENT TO USE IT AND I WAS PRESENTED WITH LOUD WARNING BEEPS AND THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: "STEERING DEFECTIVE! DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE!" IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE (ELECTRIC) POWER ASSIST WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. I TRIED EVERY HOUR AND AFTER ABOUT 4 HOURS THE ERROR WAS GONE AND THE POWER STEERING SEEMED TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY. IT HAS BEEN FINE SINCE. I CALLED THE DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT DID NOT BRING IT TO THEM FOR A "DIAGNOSIS". I NOTICED A RECALL (15V-452) FOR THE 2015 SQ5 FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND WONDERED WHY AN SQ5 WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM MY 2015 Q5 (WITH A 3.0L V6 ENGINE). THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE DURING VERY COLD DAYS AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSE. THE RECALL IS NOTHING MORE THAN A SOFTWARE UPDATE. (MAYBE TO EXPAND THE ACCEPTABLE THRESHOLD VALUES?) I AM CONCERNED THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT SCOPED PROPERLY AND IS ACTUALLY AFFECTING OTHER AUDIS. I AM A FORMER VW/AUDI MECHANIC WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE.