2022-2023 Audi A3 Emergency Call Module TSB

Symptoms

Owners of 2022-2023 Audi A3 vehicles equipped with Audi virtual cockpit Gen2+ may experience issues related to the emergency call function and other connectivity services. These complaints often manifest as general functionality problems, incorrect operation sequences, or features that are not adjustable within the instrument cluster, displays, screens, radio, navigation, or MMI systems.

A common and specific symptom reported is an incorrect date being displayed on the instrument cluster and MMI, often showing a year far in the future (e.g., "≥ year 2040"). When this occurs, owners will find that "It is not possible to correct the incorrect date manually via the MMI."

Owner-Actionable Warnings

Audi Technical Service Bulletin 2079285/1 provides a critical instruction for technicians and owners alike. It states, "Please follow the instructions in TSB 2067330: 91 Incorrect date (far in the future) shown on the instrument cluster and MMI and perform all steps described there in the specified sequence. Otherwise, it may be necessary to replace the new emergency call module again."

This means that simply replacing the emergency call module J949 without first addressing the underlying software issue described in TSB 2067330 will likely not resolve the problem and could lead to unnecessary repairs or repeat failures.

Affected Control Units and Software

The primary control unit implicated in these issues is the 0017 Instrument cluster. The TSB lists various software part numbers and versions associated with this control unit, indicating that specific software configurations may be prone to these problems. These software versions include 0220, 0092, 0166, 0158, 0316, 0160, 0168, 0224, 0226, 0308, 0222, 0314, 0084, 0088, 0310, 0086, 0162, 0128, and 0218. Vehicles with PR numbers 7J3, 9S9, or 9S8 are specifically mentioned as being affected.

Repair Procedure Summary

Audi has identified that the root cause of these complaints, including the incorrect date display and potential emergency call system malfunctions, is a hardware issue. An optimized instrument cluster software is being gradually introduced in series production to address this. For vehicles already on the road, the service procedure outlined in TSB 2079285/1 emphasizes a crucial prerequisite step before considering replacement of the emergency call module J949.

Technicians must first consult and meticulously follow the instructions detailed in TSB 2067330, titled "91 Incorrect date (far in the future) shown on the instrument cluster and MMI." This bulletin outlines a specific sequence of steps to correct the date display issue. Performing these steps is essential, as failing to do so may result in the need to replace the emergency call module J949 again, even if a new one was just installed. This ensures that the underlying software condition contributing to the problem is resolved first.

Important Note on Warranty

Warranty accounting instructions for this issue are provided within the referenced TSB 2067330. Owners should consult with their authorized Audi dealer regarding warranty coverage for any diagnosis or repair related to the Audi A3 emergency call module J949 or associated instrument cluster software updates.

Source: NHTSA ID 11023812