2025-2026 Audi A3/S3/RS3 Seat Heater Button Flashes

Understanding the Flashing Seat Heater Button Issue

Audi has issued Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 2077639/2, also referenced as 87 PSS, to address a specific concern affecting the seat heater functionality in certain 2025-2026 Audi A3, S3, and RS3 models. This bulletin describes a situation where the seat heater button on the air conditioner control console flashes intermittently, leading to the unavailability of the seat heating function.

This communication, released on December 1, 2025, is categorized as a "Pending Service Solution" (PSS), indicating that Audi is actively analyzing the issue and working towards a definitive resolution.

Symptoms of the Flashing Seat Heater Button

Owners of affected vehicles will typically notice that the "seat heater button on the air conditioner control flashes intermittently." When this occurs, the primary symptom is that "The seat heating function is unavailable while the button is flashing." This means that despite attempts to activate the seat heaters, they will not operate as intended due to the underlying fault. If your Audi S3 seat heater button flashes, this TSB directly addresses your concern.

Workshop findings confirm that this condition is reproducible. Interestingly, diagnostic address 0008, which pertains to the air conditioner and heater electronics control unit, does not log any event memory entries related to this issue. Technicians have observed that the problem can be temporarily resolved by pressing the button again or by cycling the ignition off and on.

Technical Background: A Software Anomaly

The root cause of the flashing seat heater button and the inoperative seat heating is identified as a software issue within the control unit responsible for the air conditioner and heater electronics. This specific control unit is associated with diagnostic address 0008. This indicates that the problem is not a mechanical failure of the button or the heating element itself, but rather an instruction error within the vehicle's electronic system.

Audi has already implemented a production change to address this. Vehicles manufactured from week 25/24 onwards are being produced with updated software version 5067 for the diagnostic address 0008 control unit. This suggests that newer vehicles leaving the factory should not exhibit this particular issue.

Important Warnings for Owners

Audi explicitly advises against attempting to resolve this issue through component replacement. The TSB states, "Do not replace any components for this condition since this will not resolve the customer's concern." Since the problem is software-based, replacing hardware components like the control unit or the seat heater button will not fix the underlying programming error and would result in unnecessary costs and effort.

Current Status and Expected Resolution

As of the TSB's release, Audi is still analyzing the technical measure required to fully resolve this issue for vehicles already in the field. The analysis is anticipated to conclude by the end of the second quarter of 2026. It's important to note that this timeline is subject to change. At this point, no immediate repairs are deemed necessary by the manufacturer.

This TSB, 2077639/2, is for informational purposes and is not applicable to any Audi Warranty claims, as it describes an ongoing investigation rather than a repair procedure covered under warranty.

What Owners Should Do

If you own a 2025-2026 Audi A3, S3, or RS3 and experience your Audi S3 seat heater button flashes, it is recommended to inform your authorized Audi dealer. While no repairs are currently necessary, the TSB instructs dealers to create a PSS record in the Audi Now system, specifically under Service | AU-US > Pending Service Solutions (PSS). This record helps Audi track the prevalence of the issue and ensures that your vehicle is noted for future updates or service actions once a definitive solution is available.

Stay informed by checking with your Audi dealer for any updates regarding TSB 2077639/2 as the analysis progresses towards its expected completion in mid-2026.

Source: NHTSA ID 11027328