2026 Audi S3 Emergency Assist Intervention TSB 2081476/1

Owners of 2026 Audi S3, A3, RS 3, and Q3 models may experience unexpected activation of the emergency assist system. This issue, addressed by Audi Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 2081476/1, can lead to various warnings and interventions by the vehicle's driver assistance systems.

Symptoms

When the 2026 Audi S3 emergency assist intervention system activates, specific messages may appear in the instrument cluster. These include:

• "Inactivity detected"
• "Adaptive cruise control and a braking intervention are active"
• "Adaptive cruise control, a braking intervention and lane guidance are active"

These warnings indicate that the vehicle's emergency assist features are actively intervening, which can be unsettling if unexpected.

Important Warnings for Technicians and Owners

• SFD Activation for Diagnostics: If the software version of the front sensors for driver assist systems (-R242-, diagnostic address 00A5) is SW15XX, reading the activation history requires a suitable SFD (vehicle diagnostic protection) activation. Technicians must contact the Technical Assistance Center (TAC) for a valid SFD token. The procedure involves navigating ODIS-S to Self-diagnosis >> Diagnostic address 00A5 >> Access authorization >> Manual SFD activation, responding "No" to the token query, and sending the activation request structure to TAC.
• Diagnostic Service Interruption: After reading out the activation request structure, technicians must not perform any other writing diagnostic services in diagnostic address 00A5 until the SFD token is received from the Technical Assistance Center. Performing other services will invalidate the SFD token.

Diagnosis and Activation Reasons

To diagnose the cause of a 2026 Audi S3 emergency assist intervention, technicians can use the emergency assist test program in ODIS-S. This program allows them to call up and display the activation history. The test plan is located under: Test plan > Select own test... > Diagnostic capable system > 00A5 - Front sensors for driver assistant systems - R242 > 00A5 – Functions > 00A5 – Technical Service Bulletin /TSB) > Emergency assist.

The TSB outlines several possible reasons for the system's activation, along with different escalation phases:

Activation Reasons:

• Lane departure warning: This occurs when the lane departure warning is active, and several consecutive interventions were triggered without steering torque during the intervention period.
• Adaptive cruise assist: The adaptive cruise assist is active, and driver inactivity was detected for a certain duration simultaneously.
• Fatigue and distraction warning: The driver monitoring system detected a state of "Sleep."

Escalation Phases:

• E1: Slight deceleration and visual warning with a medium acoustic warning. Vehicle guidance and distance to the vehicle in front are maintained.
• E2: Medium deceleration and visual warning with a loud acoustic warning. Vehicle guidance and distance to the vehicle in front are maintained. This phase includes multiple weak brake jolts, belt vibration on the driver's side, hazard warning lights activated, and the horn activated (below 50 km/h).
• E3: Strong deceleration and visual warning with a loud acoustic warning. Vehicle guidance and distance to the vehicle in front are maintained. This phase involves a medium-strength brake jolt, belt vibration on both driver and passenger sides, hazard warning lights activated, and the vehicle horn activated (below 50 km/h).
• E4: Visual warning, hazard warning lights activated, parking position engaged, eCall activated, and doors unlocked.

Warranty Information

For vehicles outside of warranty, this Technical Service Bulletin 2081476/1 serves as informational guidance only. Warranty claims, identified by Service Number 9638 and Damage Code 0039, must adhere to the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures Manual. Labor operations for guided functions are coded as 01 50 00 10 and 01 50 00 60.

Next Steps for Owners

If you experience a 2026 Audi S3 emergency assist intervention or any of the described instrument cluster warnings, it is recommended to have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Audi service center. They can use the diagnostic procedures outlined in TSB 2081476/1 to determine the exact cause and ensure your driver assistance systems are functioning correctly.

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Source: NHTSA ID: 11031058