2021-2022 Audi Driver Assist System Warning TSB 2073986/1

Owners of certain 2021-2022 Audi models may encounter intermittent warnings related to their vehicle's driver assist systems. These warnings, such as 'Audi adaptive light: system fault' or 'Adaptive cruise assist: restricted', typically appear on the instrument cluster and indicate that various driver assistance features are unavailable. This problem is often temporary, with messages disappearing after the vehicle has been turned off and allowed to enter 'bus sleep' mode for a few minutes before being restarted. Audi Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 2073986/1 provides guidance for diagnosing these issues, which are linked to specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) including C12D5FA.

Symptoms

Drivers experiencing this issue will notice several indicators that their driver assist systems are not functioning correctly. The primary symptom is a notification that 'Driver assist systems are unavailable'. This is often accompanied by specific messages displayed on the instrument cluster, alerting the driver to particular system faults. These verbatim messages include:

• 'Audi adaptive light: system fault.'
• 'Audi pre sense: system fault.'
• 'Adaptive cruise assist: restricted.'
• 'Adaptive cruise assist: predictive control currently restricted.'

A key characteristic of this problem is its intermittent nature. The warnings and system unavailability typically resolve themselves after the vehicle is shut off and allowed to sit for a few minutes, entering a 'bus sleep' state, before being restarted. However, the issue can reappear sporadically.

Fault Codes / DTCs

When these driver assist system warnings occur, a workshop diagnosis may reveal specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) stored in the 'driver assist systems control unit -J1121-' (address word 00A5). These codes are typically stored with a 'passive/sporadic' status, indicating an intermittent fault rather than a continuous, active one. The TSB identifies the following DTCs and their associated symptom numbers:

DTC Code	Description	Symptom Number
C12D5FA	Driver Assistance Systems Control Module, image processing processor does not respond	221281
C12B3FB	Driver Assistance Systems Front Camera, malfunction	221187
B200FF3	Internal malfunction	221193
B200FF3	Internal malfunction	221280
B200FF9	Internal malfunction	2117657

The presence of DTC C12D5FA specifically points to an issue where the image processing processor within the Driver Assistance Systems Control Module is not responding. Other codes, like C12B3FB, indicate a malfunction with the Driver Assistance Systems Front Camera, a critical component for many safety features. The B200FF3 and B200FF9 codes generally signify internal malfunctions within the system, further highlighting a problem with the driver assist systems control unit -J1121-.

Important Warnings

Owners and technicians should be aware of a critical clarification provided in TSB 2073986/1:

This means the bulletin is specifically for intermittent, 'passive/sporadic' faults. If any of the listed DTCs are present as an active or static fault, this particular TSB may not be the correct diagnostic path. Furthermore, for this TSB to be applicable, at least one of the mentioned DTCs must be recorded with its corresponding symptom number, ensuring the specific fault condition is met.

Repair Procedure Summary

Audi Technical Service Bulletin 2073986/1 acts as an informational guide, identifying the symptoms and associated fault codes for these driver assist system warnings. However, it does not provide a direct repair procedure within its own text. Instead, for the actual service and repair steps, technicians are instructed to refer to another Audi Technical Service Bulletin, TSB 2069244. This indicates that the solution involves following the detailed instructions provided in the referenced TSB, which would outline the necessary diagnostic checks, potential software updates, or component replacements required to resolve the underlying issue. The current TSB (2073986/1) serves primarily to help identify the specific conditions under which the other TSB should be consulted.

Owner Action

If your 2021-2022 Audi is displaying 'Driver assist systems unavailable' messages or any of the specific warnings like 'Audi adaptive light: system fault', and these issues are intermittent, it is recommended to schedule an appointment with an authorized Audi service center. Be prepared to describe the exact messages you are seeing and the conditions under which they occur. The service technician will be able to diagnose the issue by checking for the specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) C12D5FA, C12B3FB, B200FF3, or B200FF9 stored in the driver assist systems control unit -J1121-. They will then refer to TSB 2069244 for the appropriate repair steps. This TSB (2073986/1) is informational and does not cover warranty claims directly, so discuss potential costs with your dealership.

Source: NHTSA ID 11002152