2019-2026 Audi SOS Emergency Assist System Complaints

Owners of various 2019-2026 Audi models have reported issues with the SOS Emergency Assist system. This Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 90 24 41 2074059/2 provides information and guidance for technicians to address these concerns, which include the system activating without justification or repeatedly tugging the seat belt.

Symptoms

Customers may experience the following conditions related to the Audi e-tron SOS Emergency Assist system:

• The vehicle unexpectedly slows down due to the emergency assist system activating in situations the driver deems unjustified.
• The emergency assist system repeatedly tugs on the seat belt.
• The instrument cluster displays messages such as "SOS Emergency assist: activated. Please take over", "SOS Emergency assist: canceled", or "Emergency assist: off".

Fault Codes / DTCs

While TSB 90 24 41 2074059/2 primarily provides general information, it references a related TSB, 2063497, which addresses software updates for driver assist systems. This related TSB may be associated with the following diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs):

• B200FF9
• B200FF3
• C123FB

Diagnosis / Trigger Conditions

Audi's emergency assist system is designed to detect driver incapacitation by monitoring activity on the steering wheel, brake pedal, and accelerator pedal. The system activates if no input is detected on the steering wheel (or if a capacitive steering wheel is not firmly touched), the brake pedal is not pressed, and the accelerator pedal is not suddenly or significantly pressed.

For models like the A6, A7, A8, Q7 PI, Q8, e-tron quattro, and Q8 e-tron, a capacitive steering wheel is fitted in conjunction with adaptive cruise assist (ACA). The e-tron GT does not have a capacitive steering wheel.

Depending on the situation, the emergency assist system will gradually initiate warnings, including speed reduction, driver messages, lowering infotainment volume, warning tones, seatbelt jerks, and brake jolts. The time until activation depends on vehicle speed, with higher speeds leading to earlier warnings.

Important Warnings

• If you press down on the accelerator pedal hesitantly or very slowly, the system will not detect driver activity, which could lead to an unintended emergency assist activation.
• This TSB (90 24 41 2074059/2) is informational only and is not applicable to any Audi Warranty.

Repair Procedure Summary

The primary solution involves ensuring the Control Module for Driver Assist Systems -J1121- (diagnostic address 00A5) has the correct software version. Technicians should:

1. Check the current software version of the driver assist systems control unit -J1121-.
2. If the software version is lower than SW 0352, a software update for the driver assist systems is available via TSB 2063497. This update enhances the robustness of the emergency assist system's driver inactivity detection.
3. If the software version is SW 0352 or higher, no further measures related to this TSB are necessary.

Owner Action

If you are experiencing issues with your Audi e-tron SOS Emergency Assist system, such as unexpected activations or seat belt tugs, it is recommended to visit an authorized Audi service center. They can check the software version of your vehicle's driver assist systems control unit and perform any necessary updates outlined in TSB 90 24 41 2074059/2 or the referenced TSB 2063497.

As an alternative, if you do not wish to use the emergency assist system, it can be deactivated in the MMI. To do this, press the button for driver assist systems E617 in the center console, select the “Individual” profile, and deactivate the emergency assist. This adjustment must be made for each user profile under MMI > Users > Profile selection > Profile 1 to 6. After deactivating, a white icon indicating the emergency assist is deactivated will be displayed in the instrument cluster.

Additional Information

Further details on the emergency assist system can be found in your Owner's Manual, the Audi Knowledge Tank (AKT), and Self-Study Program (SSP) 668 – "Audi A8 (type 4N) Driver assist systems." An SoST video, "Function sequence for emergency assist, SoST_0049," is also available in the AKT, demonstrating how the system operates in assisted driving mode.

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Source: NHTSA ID: 11011268