krboland

HELP NEEDED please.

Does anyone know of a dealership in the Washington DC area that knows about, and knows how to fix the two issues below?

1, Loss of torque in Dynamic Steering post application of steering update.

2, Intermittent freezing-up of MMI display (while backing)


I have written to Scott Keogh several times about the issues and have been assigned two different Executive Service (ES) folks. I have heard nothing back from Mr. Keoghs office.


Through the ES folks, I have brought my A6 to several Audi Dealerships in the area and have had the Audi Field Service Technical Manager twice address my car.


Regarding the Loss of Steering Torque, the Audi Field Service Technical Manager reported to Audi this is not an issue with Audi steering and the steering is “within Audi Parameters”.


As for the MMI Freezing-up, he reported to Audi the MMI did not freeze when he placed the auto in reverse, and there is not a recorded error code during the diagnostics, thus it is not an issue and no fix required.


As of the other day, I received the following:

“We regret that our efforts to assist you have not met your expectations. You are a valued member of the Audi family, Mr. Boland. Upon your previous visit to Audi Silver Spring, the dealership and our technical field manager determined that your vehicle is operating as designed.


If you are experiencing a new concern with your vehicle, we will require a diagnosis from an authorized Audi dealership. We rely on all authorized Audi dealerships for sales and service of Audi vehicles. Audi of America does not recommend one particular Audi dealership. The service department will advise of any repairs that may be needed on the vehicle.

Please let me know what dealership you would prefer to work with, and I will gladly contact them on your behalf. “


Then when I responded both issues continue and even give time/date and place of MMI freezing-up, I received:


“Dear Mr. Boland,

I regret to hear that you are experiencing concerns with the vehicle.

As mentioned in my previous e-mail, if you are experiencing a new concern with your vehicle, we will require a diagnosis from an authorized Audi dealership.

The service department will advise if there is a repair condition on the vehicle, and what repairs may be needed. I will contact the service department at Audi Tysons Corner on your behalf and request that they reach out to you to schedule an appointment to have your vehicle diagnosed. “


BOTTOM LINE;


The Executive Case Specialist at Audi of America, Inc. Customer Experience section are now pushing the issues off by portraying everything as fixed or a non-existent issue (however, one Service foreman told me theses are known issues with the Audi A6).

My car (2012 A6 with 20k miles) has been in to two different dealers, three times for a total of 10 days to address these problems. No luck.


My Dynamic Steering continues to be very flimsy (no torque after the steering update) and the MMI freezes-up once in a while.


Has anyone been able to find a dealership in the DC area that is no bull, and knows how to fix these issues?


Thanks!!

in2dwww

DC is a strange place. Tyson's Corner and Chantilly are both Penske dealers. Rockville, MD is a Sonic dealer.

What exactly do you mean by "no torque" in the steering? Is it super light? Do you have aftermarket wheels or different tires on the car?

I had an issue on an A4 that Chantilly was able to resolve.

snagitseven

As to the steering issue, some have complained of a reduced steering effort in Dynamic mode after the electric steering update was applied (the update was designed and globally applied to reduce or eliminate wandering and/or "notchiness" many reported with the electric steering). Unfortunately for those who don't like the results of the update, reports indicate there is no way to reverse it. Perhaps, if there are enough complaints, Audi may offer another update in the future but for now, there is no "fix" to revert it back. (Do an AudiWorld forum search with "steering update" - much has been discussed on this topic),

What MMI software update do you have? (I suspect 0448 or 0468 if you have a 2012 C7) The latest is 0715-2. Others had previously reported that MMI 0566 (or 0609) corrected several issues, including freezing of the display with the update - I would presume 0715-2 would also contain those fixes. Ask your dealer to apply the latest MMI update which hopefully, would correct your freezing screen problem. Again, there were several forum threads on the subject.

r1racer

I like Audi of Arlington (formerly Alexandria). Great customer service and should do the updates without question.

Maverick61

Well that identifies the cause of the problem - getting the crappy steering update that neuters the dynamic steering.

It is a travesty that Audi continues to push this so called "fix" onto unsuspecting customers and destroy the dynamic steering feel

As Snagit note, this is a know issue - lots of people unhappy with the results of this "fix" had on their dynamic steering. Not sure any dealer will be able to do anything as the process is supposedly irreversible. I would search steering update on this site and get back to AOA sharing them your concerns and not that you are not a lone voice talking but one of many who have this problem 0 shoot give them copies of the threads on here. Audi will not do anything to rectify the problem until enough people complain

For those of you who have not had the steering update done, and like your dynamic steering, make sure to let your service advisor know that under no circumstances are they allowed to do this "update" on your vehicle

snagitseven

Just to mention the flip side of the coin, not everyone is unhappy with the electric steering update. For those, who have had the excessive off-center wandering (i.e. me) or those experiencing the reported, sometimes dangerous "notching" of the steering wheel (where there seems to be a detent of sorts before the steering takes effect), this update should mostly solve those issues. For those who prefer using the steering Comfort mode with its lesser effort, the update has no noticeable negative consequences. It's all a matter of preference and priorities if one needs a resolution to the previously mentioned steering issues.

Maverick61

I think the update can be summarized like this:

If you like the tighter dynamic steering mode - AVOID the update

If you like lesser effort comfort steering mode - then you may be happy with the update, especially if you were experiencing other issues

I guess to me what is ridiculous is that Audi makes a fix that makes some of their customers happy and some of their customers upset. If they are going to "fix" it, do it right and make everyone happy. No sense fixing one problem and creating another

And the worse part is - they try to push the update on everyone without warning of the detrimental effects it has on dynamic steering. Unless you are informed about the negative side effects from reading this or other forums, and are proactive telling your dealer do not do the update, Audi will push it on you with no chance to reverse it. That is bad customer service IMO

snagitseven

I believe there are two things at play here.

First, there apparently were enough complaints about the electric steering, especially the potentially scary notching issue, that Audi felt it was necessary to do the update automatically when brought in for service. They must have also decided not to make it a safety recall which perhaps they felt would draw too much negative attention. No way to know their motivations for this, of course.

Second, I have a feeling that while they may have been aware of the Dynamic steering effort consequences, they could not maintain the same characteristics with the update as before due to limitations of the current electromechanical design. In other words, they couldn't make it work the way many owners would have preferred while at the same time solving the other potential driveability issues.

I'm guessing, since Audi felt it was safety related, they felt that automatically doing the update was the lesser of two evils from their perspective. Unfortunately, that always results in making some people unhappy. They could have made the update available only upon request by an owner but again, if they felt it was safety related, chose not to do so.

Maybe in the future they'll figure out a way to eliminate the compromises in the existing hardware/software. If it requires newly designed steering components, however, covering existing cars under warranty will be a tough (and expensive) pill for them to swallow. We'll just have to wait and see if A) there are enough owners complaining and if so, B) if it's even possible with the existing models' design.

krboland

My Most recent converstions with.....Customer Service, Executive Case Specialist

If I read this correctly, when I asked for the AoA records they are using to determin the original date and specs of my complaints....the Customer Service folks are saying "get them yourself".

Am I being too senisitive (it has been 5 months, and two Executive Case Specialist, three visits to two dealers as well as three email to Scott Keogh to keep him informed about the progress or lack of progress)


Anna,

Okay, I will check.

I understand (from you reply)your office does not know what the complaints were and when they were brought to the attention of Audi.

If this is true, then I understand why you did not know these are the issues we have been working for months (close to 5 now) to resolve and not new issues.

I guess it is important to note Audi has been working these same issues for some time now.

I guess we are going on some 5 months now.....I am confident eventually someone will be able to fix the MMI freezing-up during backing problem....hopefully, Audi will develop a fix for the steering issue sometime in the near future.

Need to ensure I am on the list to be notified when the fix for the steering issue is released.

I am on the list to be contacted...right?

Thanks
Kevin

-----Original Message-----
From: Harlan, Anna [mailto:Extern.Anna.Harlan@audi.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 9:36 AM
To: Boland Kevin

Subject: RE: Please expedite response

Good morning Mr. Boland,

You may obtain a copy of the invoice/repair order from the authorized Audi dealerships in which your vehicle was diagnosed. The dealership will have the most up to date records of any vehicle concerns that you may have experienced.

Sincerely,

Anna Harlan
Executive Case Specialist

Audi of America, Inc.
Customer Experience
3800 Hamlin Road
Auburn Hills, MI 48326
United States of America
Tel. + 1 248 754 3528
Fax. + 1 248 754 6521
extern.anna.harlan@audi.com
http://www.audiusa.com





-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin.R.Boland
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 8:08 AM
To: Harlan, Anna
Subject: Please expedite response
Importance: High

Hi Anna,

In one of your last communications, you mention " On November 15, 2013 your vehicle was inspected by an Audi of America Technical Field Manager (TFM). At that time, your vehicle was found to be operating to manufacturer's specifications and no repair conditions were found to be present on the vehicle."


Would you please check the records from that visit and let me know what is reflected there as to the reason my vehicle was inspected by an Audi of America Technical Field Manager (TFM). What is recorded as my complaint?


Also please check the records from my visit to Audi of Tysons Corner previous to the visit to Audi of Silver Springs; were there any complaints at that time?


I know there must have been some complaint he (TFM)was addressing and ask you let me know what the record for my visit says.


This well help me determine if my two current complaints (change in Dynamic Steering post update and freezing display while backing both issues very well documented issues with Audi A6) might be associated with my original complaints.


As you have mentioned to me, and I now accept, any new complaints will need to be diagnosed at a dealership.



Thanks
Kevin

in2dwww

"What we have here, is a failure to communicate."

- Cool Hand Luke

Personally, I'd give them time to engineer an update. There's nothing you can do that will make them work any faster on your matter. As it stands now, nothing on your car is broken. You simply don't like the car. Go test drive a 2014 and decide if it's any better than what you have now. I think what you need is a placebo effect.