2022-2026 Audi Emergency Assist System Malfunctions TSB

Audi has issued Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 2074059/3 to address various customer complaints related to the Emergency Assist system in certain 2022-2026 Audi A6, A7, A8, Q7, Q8, e-tron, and e-tron GT models. This bulletin provides comprehensive information on the system's functionality and outlines a software update to improve its robustness. Owners experiencing unexpected behavior from their 2022 Audi e-tron emergency assist system should be aware of this service action.

Symptoms of Emergency Assist Malfunction

Owners may notice several issues that suggest a problem with the Emergency Assist system. These include:

• The vehicle slowing down due to the emergency assist in situations where the driver believes it is unjustified.
• The emergency assist repeatedly tugging on the seat belt.
• Specific warning messages appearing on the instrument cluster.

Verbatim Owner-Facing Messages

Customers have reported seeing the following messages displayed on their instrument cluster:

• "SOS Emergency assist: active. Please take over"
• "SOS Emergency assist: canceled"

Additionally, after deactivating the emergency assist, a white icon indicating deactivation may appear, along with the message "Emergency assist: off".

Fault Codes

While TSB 2074059/3 primarily focuses on general information and symptoms, a related TSB (2063497) that provides the necessary software update mentions specific fault codes associated with driver assist system malfunctions. These include:

• B200FF9
• B200FF3
• C123FB

These codes are indicative of issues within the driver assist systems, which can impact the Emergency Assist function.

Understanding Audi Emergency Assist

Audi's Emergency Assist system is designed to detect driver incapacitation by monitoring driver activity. Within its operational limits, the system intervenes if it detects prolonged driver inactivity. This inactivity is determined if, for a certain period:

• No input is detected on the steering wheel (torque), or if the vehicle has a capacitive steering wheel, it is not touched firmly.
• The brake pedal is not pressed.
• The accelerator pedal is not suddenly and significantly pressed.

Upon detecting inactivity, the emergency assist gradually initiates visual, acoustic, and haptic warnings to regain the driver's attention. These warnings include speed reduction, driver messages, lowering infotainment system volume, a warning tone, seatbelt jerks, and brake jolts. If the driver remains inactive, the system will keep the vehicle within its lane and gradually bring it to a full stop.

Operating Modes

The emergency assist system operates differently depending on the driving mode:

• Manual driving mode: This mode is active when the adaptive cruise assist (ACA) and lane departure warning are both deactivated, and the vehicle speed is above 40 mph. If driver inactivity is detected, the system may slow the vehicle to follow a vehicle in front or intervene to slow the vehicle if it leaves its lane without signaling. Importantly, the emergency assist may slow the vehicle in manual operating mode without an acoustic warning beforehand.
• Assisted driving mode: This mode is active when either adaptive cruise assist (ACA) or lane departure warning is activated. In this case, the emergency assist is automatically available regardless of the vehicle's speed and engages if driver inactivity is detected by either system.

Overriding Emergency Assist

Drivers can override an intervention from the emergency assist at any time by:

• Moving the steering wheel (if equipped with active steering or a capacitive steering wheel).
• Pressing the brake pedal.
• Pressing the accelerator pedal suddenly and significantly.

Diagnosis and Trigger Conditions

Workshop findings indicate that often, no abnormal behavior can be detected during a test drive, even when customers report issues. The core of the problem lies in the system's sensitivity and how it interprets driver inactivity. The TSB highlights that a compromise must be found between the system's reliability in genuinely dangerous scenarios and avoiding false alarms. The 2022 Audi e-tron emergency assist system, like other affected models, relies on precise detection of driver input.

Repair Procedure Summary

The primary solution for addressing these Emergency Assist complaints is a software update. The production solution involves improving the robustness of driver inactivity detection within the Control Module for Driver Assist Systems (J1121, address word 00A5).

To resolve the issue, technicians are instructed to:

1. Explain the technical background of the emergency assist system to the customer.
2. Check the current software version of the J1121 control unit (diagnostic address 00A5).
3. If the software version is lower than SW0352, a software update is available via TSB 2063497. This update specifically includes measures to enhance the robustness of the emergency assist system.
4. If the software version is SW0352 or above, no further measures are necessary, as the issue should already be resolved.

Alternative Measures

If a customer prefers not to use the emergency assist system, it can be deactivated through the MMI (Multi Media Interface). This involves pressing the button for driver assist systems (E617) in the center console, opening the profile master for driver assist systems, selecting the "Individual" profile, and deactivating the emergency assist. This adjustment must be made for every user profile.

Important Warnings

Owners should be aware of specific conditions related to the Emergency Assist system:

• Accelerator Pedal Input: If you press down on the accelerator pedal hesitantly or very slowly, the system will not detect it as driver activity, potentially leading to an unwarranted Emergency Assist intervention.
• Warranty: This TSB is informational only and is not applicable to any Audi Warranty claims.

Owner Action

If you own a 2022-2026 Audi A6, A7, A8, Q7, Q8, e-tron, or e-tron GT and are experiencing any of the described symptoms with your 2022 Audi e-tron emergency assist system, it is recommended to contact your authorized Audi dealer. They can check the software version of your J1121 control unit and perform the necessary software update (TSB 2063497) if required. This update aims to improve the reliability and accuracy of the Emergency Assist system, preventing unintended interventions and enhancing overall driver confidence.

Related Resources

Further information about the emergency assist system can be found in the following resources:

• Your vehicle's Owner's Manual.
• The Audi Knowledge Tank (AKT), which includes an SoST video (Function sequence for emergency assist, SoST_0049) demonstrating how the emergency assist works in assisted operating mode.
• Elsa, Systems >> Campaigns/Actions >> Campaign.
• SSP: 668 – Audi A8 (type 4N) Driver assist systems.

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Source: NHTSA ID: 11025338