2025-2026 Audi Time Changes Automatically While Driving

Audi has released Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 2081404/1 to address a software-related concern affecting certain 2025-2026 Audi models. Owners of 2025 Audi A5, S5, Q5, and SQ5, as well as 2026 Audi A6 vehicles, may experience their vehicle's clock automatically changing by an hour while driving. This document provides important information regarding the nature of the issue and the manufacturer's current recommendations.

Symptoms

Owners report that the vehicle's time changes by an hour automatically while driving. This can be disruptive, as the clock may sometimes revert to the correct time on its own, leading to confusion and potential missed appointments. The primary symptom is the unexpected and automatic adjustment of the vehicle's clock.

Why This Matters

While not a safety-critical defect, an incorrect vehicle clock can be a significant inconvenience. It can affect navigation systems, appointment keeping, and general driver confidence in the vehicle's systems. Understanding that this is a known software issue, rather than a hardware failure, can prevent unnecessary diagnostic time or component replacements.

Diagnosis / Trigger Conditions

Workshop findings indicate that the complaint is reproducible and often occurs when the vehicle is driven several miles away from the edge of a time zone. This suggests an issue with how the vehicle's system recognizes and adjusts to time zone changes, particularly when transitioning between areas with different time offsets.

Technical Background

Audi has identified the root cause of this issue as a software problem. The specific software versions involved include 0075 Software, 0546, and 1026. A production solution has already been implemented in CL6 vehicles manufactured from week 06/2026 onward, indicating that newer production models will not exhibit this particular fault.

Important Warnings for Owners

Audi explicitly states several critical points for owners and technicians regarding this issue:

• Do not replace any components for this condition. Replacing parts will not resolve the customer's concern and is not a valid repair for this software issue.
• Replacing parts or attempting repairs will not fix the problem. Any unjustified work or replacement parts will be charged back to the dealership, and invoicing under warranty for such attempts is not permitted.
• A permanent solution in the form of a software update is expected to be available by the end of the fourth quarter of 2026. Owners should be aware that no repairs are necessary at this point in time.

Temporary Workaround

As an interim measure, owners can prevent the automatic time changes by switching off the automatic time zone recognition feature in their vehicle's settings. The time can then be set manually, ensuring the clock remains accurate until a permanent software fix is released.

What to Do

If you experience your Audi's time changes automatically, you should inform your authorized Audi service center. While no immediate repair is available, technicians are instructed to create a Pending Service Solutions (PSS) record in the PSS application through the Audi Now system. This helps Audi track the prevalence of the issue and ensures that affected vehicles are noted for future software updates. Remember, per TSB 2081404/1, no parts should be replaced for this condition.

---n Source: NHTSA ID: 11031050