What on Earth is going on with the MMI???

[careless_adi]

Hi all,

I've just come back from a 2 week holiday and have found the MMI in my car to be faulty.

At first I thought 'oh dear me, the rear washer has leaked' but after checking, it's bone dry in there.

Symptoms - The MMI with the engine on starts up and I get a splash screen on the 2G High screen, and I get the correct lights on the centre console. After the MMI boot screen, the screen and centre console lights go off.

So I tried again and again with the same results.

Until, I tried the electrics with the engine off. Everything works as it should running on the battery... Bluetooth works fine, Radio (DAB, FM, LW, MW etc.), Sat Nav, voice control, AMI USB stick etc. with the correct lights on the centre console.

So I got the VCDS out (please see below)...

00-Steering Angle Sensor -- Status: OK 0000
01-Engine -- Status: OK 0000
03-ABS Brakes -- Status: OK 0000
05-Acc/Start Auth. -- Status: OK 0000
06-Seat Mem. Pass -- Status: OK 0000
07-Control Head -- Status: Malfunction 0010
08-Auto HVAC -- Status: OK 0000
09-Cent. Elect. -- Status: OK 0000
0E-Media Player 1 -- Status: OK 0000
0F-Digital Radio -- Status: OK 0000
15-Airbags -- Status: OK 0000
16-Steering wheel -- Status: OK 0000
17-Instruments -- Status: OK 0000
19-CAN Gateway -- Status: Malfunction 0010
25-Immobilizer -- Status: OK 0000
34-Level Control -- Status: OK 0000
36-Seat Mem. Drvr -- Status: OK 0000
37-Navigation -- Status: OK 0000
42-Door Elect, Driver -- Status: OK 0000
46-Central Conv. -- Status: OK 0000
47-Sound System -- Status: OK 0000
4F-Centr. Electr. II -- Status: OK 0000
52-Door Elect, Pass. -- Status: OK 0000
53-Parking Brake -- Status: OK 0000
55-Headlight Range -- Status: OK 0000
56-Radio -- Status: Malfunction 0010
57-TV Tuner -- Status: OK 0000
61-Battery Regul. -- Status: OK 0000
62-Door, Rear Left -- Status: OK 0000
67-Voice Control -- Status: OK 0000
72-Door, Rear Right -- Status: OK 0000
76-Park Assist -- Status: OK 0000
77-Telephone -- Status: OK 0000




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 07: Control Head        Labels: 4F0-910-7xx-07-H.lbl
   Part No SW: 4F1 910 732 E    HW: 4E0 035 729 A
   Component: Interfacebox    H43 5570  
   Revision: 00000000    Serial number: 351GM067522444
   Coding: 0001002
   Shop #: WSC 02335 785 00200
   VCID: 264457EE915B650E24-8072


   Subsystem 1 - Part No: 4F0 910 609 E
   Component: Bedienteil MMIC6H02 0060


   Subsystem 2 - Serial number: 00000000485403


   Subsystem 3 - Serial number: 0128.07.060000000100010191ÿ


   Subsystem 4 - Serial number: 010191ÿ


1 Fault Found:
00384 - Optical Databus 
            011 - Open Circuit - Intermittent
             Freeze Frame:
                    Fault Status: 00101011
                    Fault Priority: 5
                    Fault Frequency: 11
                    Reset counter: 40
                    Mileage: 172906 km
                    Time Indication: 0
                    Date: 2016.07.02
                    Time: 16:18:14



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 19: CAN Gateway        Labels: 4F0-910-468.clb
   Part No SW: 4F0 910 468 A    HW: 4F0 907 468 D
   Component: Gateway         H11 0070  
   Revision: 11          Serial number: 130080672101F2
   Coding: ECEE7BDC1B7D04
   Shop #: WSC 02334 785 00200
   VCID: 275A5AEA96517C061F-8072


1 Fault Found:
00384 - Optical Databus 
            011 - Open Circuit - Intermittent
             Freeze Frame:
                    Fault Status: 00101011
                    Fault Priority: 5
                    Fault Frequency: 4
                    Reset counter: 19
                    Mileage: 172906 km
                    Time Indication: 0
                    Date: 2016.07.02
                    Time: 16:19:00



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I've just done a Optical Bus Diagnostics with the engine on...

Control Module Part Number: 4F0 910 468 A
Component and/or Version: Gateway H11 0070


Optical Bus Diagnostic : Standard


Controller Electrical Optical
19-CAN Gateway OK ERROR
07-Control Head(High/D3) OK ERROR
0E-Media Player 1 OK OK
77-Telephone OK ERROR
47-Sound System OK OK
67-Voice Control ERROR ERROR
56-Radio OK ERROR
57-TV Tuner OK ERROR
37-Navigation OK ERROR
0F-Digital Radio(DAB) OK ERROR


************************************************** **********

And one with the engine off...

Control Module Part Number: 4F0 910 468 A
Component and/or Version: Gateway H11 0070


Optical Bus Diagnostic : Standard


Controller Electrical Optical
19-CAN Gateway OK OK
07-Control Head(High/D3) OK OK
0E-Media Player 1 OK OK
77-Telephone OK OK
47-Sound System OK OK
67-Voice Control OK OK
56-Radio OK OK
57-TV Tuner OK OK
37-Navigation OK OK
0F-Digital Radio(DAB) OK OK

I cleared all the fault codes and tried again, but it is still happening.

I've had no new components fitted or replaced for a couple of years (last one being the AMI that I fitted instead of the CD stack in the glove box), and before I went on holiday everything was working just fine.


Why would everything work fine with the engine off, but with the engine on, I get no MMI at all?

[markaz]

Could this be anything to do with battery voltage?

[careless_adi]

Could this be anything to do with battery voltage?

I have no idea. The car started up first time with no hesitation, and I've driven it to the office along country roads for 30 minutes but the problem still persists.

Perhaps it's the alternator? The system runs fine when on battery power, but not at all when the engine is on.

[markaz]

Sorry that's what I meant. Have you checked battery voltage with the engine running?

[B5NUT]

I believe the answer could be in the optical scan, it is unusual to get an electrical error, however there are very few A6's with full voice control, so you don't see many scan's with that module installed.

Controller Electrical Optical
19-CAN Gateway OK ERROR
07-Control Head(High/D3) OK ERROR
0E-Media Player 1 OK OK
77-Telephone OK ERROR
47-Sound System OK OK
67-Voice Control ERROR ERROR
56-Radio OK ERROR
57-TV Tuner OK ERROR
37-Navigation OK ERROR
0F-Digital Radio(DAB) OK ERROR

For me something has gone wrong with the voice control module (what I have no idea) Remove the power connector from the radio module and then remove the voice control module from the radio module, reconnect the power and see if the MMI works with the engine on. This could either be faulty radio module or voice control module, it could also be that the voice control module just needs to be re-seated in the radio module (bad connection)

Hope you get it sorted.

[careless_adi]

I believe the answer could be in the optical scan, it is unusual to get an electrical error, however there are very few A6's with full voice control, so you don't see many scan's with that module installed.

Controller Electrical Optical
19-CAN Gateway OK ERROR
07-Control Head(High/D3) OK ERROR
0E-Media Player 1 OK OK
77-Telephone OK ERROR
47-Sound System OK OK
67-Voice Control ERROR ERROR
56-Radio OK ERROR
57-TV Tuner OK ERROR
37-Navigation OK ERROR
0F-Digital Radio(DAB) OK ERROR

For me something has gone wrong with the voice control module (what I have no idea) Remove the power connector from the radio module and then remove the voice control module from the radio module, reconnect the power and see if the MMI works with the engine on. This could either be faulty radio module or voice control module, it could also be that the voice control module just needs to be re-seated in the radio module (bad connection)

Hope you get it sorted.

Funny you should say that about the radio. I did some more scans with the VCDS tool and here are the results...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 56: Radio Labels: 4E0-910-541.lbl
Part No SW: 4E0 910 541 T HW: 4F0 035 541 H
Component: TUNER EU/US/RDW H42 0630
Revision: 00000000 Serial number: 396C.067534496
Coding: 0000001
Shop #: WSC 00045 210 90248
VCID: 316EB4B2A89532B6C1-8064


2 Faults Found:
00532 - Supply Voltage B+
001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100001
Fault Priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 18
Reset counter: 28
Mileage: 172932 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2016.07.02
Time: 17:15:22


00447 - Function Limitation due to Over-Voltage
001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100001
Fault Priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 229
Reset counter: 28
Mileage: 172954 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2016.07.04
Time: 18:22:19



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------



But I'm also getting this...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 07: Control Head Labels: 4F0-910-7xx-07-H.lbl
Part No SW: 4F1 910 732 E HW: 4E0 035 729 A
Component: Interfacebox H43 5570
Revision: 00000000 Serial number: 351GM067522444
Coding: 0001002
Shop #: WSC 02335 785 00200
VCID: 264457EE915B650E24-8072


Subsystem 1 - Part No: 4F0 910 609 E
Component: Bedienteil MMIC6H02 0060


Subsystem 2 - Serial number: 00000000485403


Subsystem 3 - Serial number: 0128.07.060000000100010191ÿ


Subsystem 4 - Serial number: 010191ÿ


1 Fault Found:
00384 - Optical Databus
011 - Open Circuit - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00101011
Fault Priority: 5
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 40
Mileage: 173098 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2016.07.07
Time: 16:54:11



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------



If the Radio doesn't work, would that knock out the optical system? Or are there 2 possible faults? One issue is with the radio and another with a break in the optical bus?

EDIT: According to the Ross-Tech site http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/00446 this over voltage could be down to the following...

Possible Causes

• Fuse(s) faulty
• Supply Voltage low
• Battery faulty
• Generater faulty

I had a new battery fitted not long ago, and I can't imagine it's a fuse as everything works while on battery power only. How do I check voltage or generator?

[B5NUT]

i would be looking at the radio module being faulty, look at the "Fault Frequency" on some of the errors.

[careless_adi]

i would be looking at the radio module being faulty, look at the "Fault Frequency" on some of the errors.

So if the radio module is faulty, would it cause the other components to fail? The radio (and everything else) works just fine when on battery power. If I turn the engine on, it may be 5 seconds to 5 minutes before the MMI turns off completely.

Having had this problem for a week and a half or so, I've been monitoring when the MMI shuts down. It seems as if it's when I change gear or when I release the clutch without applying any gas if I'm in slow moving traffic - possibly indicating that there's not enough power coming out of the alternator??

[B5NUT]

The system runs on a fiber optic loop system, so if one module fails it takes out the entire MMI system. The MMI system does not use much power, if you suspect the alternator then the most power hungry systems are heated seats & headlights, so switch them both on and see if the lights start flickering, if that is Ok, then you have another electrical fault.

I used to bench test MMI systems, and ran it off a leisure battery which would last weeks without needing charging.

[Kaiser2000]

I have something of a similar issue actually....

On mine though (05 car with MMI 2G High) 2/3 times now the whole MMI system (lights/buttons) are dead on key turn (battery or engine running). The screen shows the splash screen/logo but that's it

Give it a few hours though/overnight and it's fine again? Maybe a battery drain issue as it does seem to complain very quickly that the battery level is low when parked up?