2022-2023 Audi iPhone Wireless Charging Overheating TSB

Owners of certain 2022-2023 Audi models may notice their non-plus-sized iPhone experiencing issues while wirelessly charging in the vehicle's phone box. This Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 91 21 14 2053916/3, issued on July 13, 2021, addresses the phenomenon where the iPhone heats up and enters thermal protection mode, ceasing to charge. This TSB supersedes an earlier bulletin, Group 91 number 20-92, dated August 11, 2020.

Symptoms

Audi owners have reported specific symptoms related to this wireless charging issue. These include:

• "A non-plus-sized iPhone heats up while wirelessly charging on the phone box."
• "A non-plus-sized iPhone enters thermal protection mode while charging on the phone box and stops charging."
• "The CarPlay screen may appear frozen during this time but the infotainment system is fully functional otherwise."

These symptoms indicate that while the phone's charging function is affected, the vehicle's core infotainment system remains operational. The primary concern is the Audi iPhone charging overheating and subsequent halt of the charging process.

Diagnosis and Trigger Conditions

The technical background provided by Audi explains the root cause of the Audi iPhone charging overheating issue. The charging pad within the phone box is designed to accommodate various phone sizes. However, if a smaller phone, such as a non-plus-sized iPhone, is placed in the phone box, it can shift and move off-center while the vehicle is in motion.

When the iPhone is not perfectly centered on the charging pad, it may request a higher power transfer rate to maintain a constant charge current. This increased power transfer leads to the phone heating up, eventually triggering its internal thermal protection mode, which then stops the charging process to prevent damage. Workshop investigations have confirmed that no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) are stored in the information electronics control module 1, J794 (address word 005F), indicating that this is not a fault in the vehicle's electronics but rather a compatibility or design interaction issue with smaller phones.

What Owners Should Know

Audi has stated that there is currently no product solution available for this concern. The TSB explicitly notes that "This concern is caused by a third-party device, no product solution can be offered at this time. Any previous part solutions are no longer available." This means that dealers cannot perform a repair or offer a part replacement to resolve the Audi iPhone charging overheating problem. Furthermore, this TSB is informational only and "not applicable to any Audi Warranty," meaning any attempts to address the issue would likely not be covered under warranty.

Owners should be aware that while the CarPlay screen might appear frozen during these events, the underlying infotainment system is still functional. If you rely on wireless charging for your non-plus-sized iPhone in your Audi, you may need to consider alternative charging methods, such as a wired connection, to avoid the overheating and charging interruptions.