2021 Audi Adaptive Light/Driver Assist Malfunction TSB

Owners of certain 2021 Audi models may encounter an "Audi Adaptive light or Adaptive Driver Assistant malfunction" message displayed in their instrument cluster. This condition, addressed by Audi Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 2059889/1, indicates a software-related issue rather than a faulty component.

The TSB applies to 2021 Audi A6, A7, Q7, and Q8 vehicles. If you experience an Audi Q8 adaptive light malfunction or similar issues in other affected models, it's important to understand the underlying cause and the recommended course of action.

Symptoms

Vehicle owners may observe the following message in their instrument cluster:

• "Audi Adaptive light or Adaptive Driver Assistant malfunction"

This warning indicates a problem with the adaptive lighting system or the driver assistance features, which rely on the J1121 front sensor for driver assistant systems.

Fault Codes / DTCs

When diagnosing the "Audi Adaptive light or Adaptive Driver Assistant malfunction", technicians may find specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) stored in the J1121 front sensor for driver assistant systems (address word 00A5). These codes are typically erroneously stored due to a software issue.

DTC Code	Description	Symptom Code
C12B3FB	front camera for driver assist systems - malfunction	221187
B200FF3	internal problem	221193
B200FF3	internal problem	221280

Diagnosis and Trigger Conditions

The technical background provided by Audi indicates that a software issue is responsible for these DTCs being stored erroneously. This means the system itself may not have a hardware fault, but rather a glitch in the software causes the system to report a malfunction.

Important Warnings

Audi explicitly states a critical instruction for this condition:

• "Do not replace any components for this condition since this will not resolve the customer's concern."

This warning is crucial as it prevents unnecessary parts replacement and ensures that the correct, software-based solution is awaited. If you are experiencing an Audi Q8 adaptive light malfunction, be aware that replacing hardware will not fix the problem.

Repair Procedure Summary

For the interim, the repair procedure outlined in TSB 2059889/1 involves the following steps:

1. Clear DTC Entries: The first step is to clear the stored DTCs. This will temporarily resolve the displayed malfunction message.
2. Customer Notification: Inform the customer that a permanent software solution is anticipated by the end of the fourth quarter of 2020. Reiterate that no component replacement is necessary for this condition.
3. Create PSS Record: A PSS (Pending Service Solutions) record must be created in the PSS application via AccessAudi or the Technical Assistance page in Elsa.

Warranty Information

This service is covered under warranty for:

• Vehicles up to 48 months or 50,000 miles.
• Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles under the G10 claim type, provided the owner is verified.

If the vehicle is outside of these warranty conditions, this Technical Service Bulletin serves as informational guidance only. The service number for this procedure is 9093, with a damage code of 0039. Diagnostic time is allocated as GFF 0150 0000, with a maximum of 20 Technical Units (TU).

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Source: NHTSA ID 10176840