c@@kiemonsta

Hello everybody, I've been a long time lurker(active member on Audizine), but it's time for my first post, though with somewhat sadness. I posted this question already in Audizine, but this forum's C6 section seems to be a lot more active, so here we go.

So I have an '06 avant(have had it since april, has 102k miles atm). Today for the first time I tried using the rear wipers in conjunction with the windshield spray. What do you know, nothing came out. I didn't pay any attention to it, just figured maybe it was clogged or frozen. About 1.5 hours later on my return trip, the radio stopped working. Switching from station to station resulted in all static. Then about minute later the MMI logo appeared and the system shut down. I tried to power it on but all it would do was show the logo and shut down. Did a little bit of googling and come to find out that on the avants, the hose to the rear washer breaks and leaks all over the Bose amp, killing it in the process. I quickly checked the back and I could see some dry residue on top. It looked as if some fluid had leaked on it but dried up a from some other time. There was no evidence of a fresh leak. I kept trying to turn it on and gave up. Half a day has now passed and it seems to be sort of working. I can actually turn on the MMI, get into it, load up my CD track and it will work for about 15 seconds, stop, then play again, then stop. When it stops, the speakers crackle here and there. So my question at this point is, am I screwed no matter what, or should I wait it out and see if things return to normal(cus it seems to be getting better)? As mentioned, the amp seems dry, though I have not removed it yet. I am already aware of the cost of a new amp and how it's pretty much impossible to swap it yourself and get it working again. Thanks for the help.

A6Gary

It would appear that your '06 A6 Avant did not have implemented TSB #92-06-01 that fixes the problem with the rear washer hose breaking & leaking on the '05 – '06 Avants. Regardless of the potnetial damage to your Bose amp and other electronics, you have this TSB implemented before any more damage can occur. Cost to do this TSB at the dealer was ~$250 (parts & labor) in 2012 for my '06 Avant.

c@@kiemonsta

Yeah I figured so. I'll probably option the DIY route to fix the darned thing, but for the time being I could care less about the rear wiper not spraying. What matters atm is the amp the chance that it might still be working. Should I scan for codes and unplug the amp and see if there is fluid on the connector side? Or maybe just a fuse got damaged?

FL C6.5 Avant

knock on wood i think i'm safe with the 2010. but this is a shame. I would try the connections, and possibly try to dry it out (put it in your oven at 155F --stay below 70C, as that is often a part temp rating--for a while). I don't know that anyone has forensically solved this, but it seems that if a cap or something blows out that it should be possible to have a replacement soldered in? wonder if BOSE would rebuild it? not that it is their fault, but they would certainly be capable....
hey, off-topic, but didn't you buy yours from my local dealer (Audi of Melbourne)?

c@@kiemonsta

Yeah I've emailed Bose seeing if they can repair or send me a replacement. According to some previous post, a few guys have had luck with someone named "Patty". However, others have said that Bose won't have any of these amps in stock until 2016.

Now...to answer your other question. Yes! The car came from Audi of Melbourne, though I actually didn't get it from them. How did you know?

life4sk8

Hi, at the same time last year, I was in your situation. My rear windshield washer hose blew and fried my amplifier. So I did a lot of research and reading. First of all, you need to run an autoscan with vcds. Next, run an optical bus diagnostic. On the the opening screen of vcds choose application, and optical bus diagnostic. Run the test. From there you will know if your electrical parts or your optical parts of your mmi is bad. Mine was the optical part of the amplifier that was bad. So what I learn is : when you shut your car off, the main unit of the mmi under the glove box, send a signal to all the component to shut off and wait for the feed back. When all signal came back, the main unit tell to the ecm to shut the power off. If one of your mmi component are bad, it won't send back that signal to the main unit. So the system going to stay always on drawing current. To prevent this, find with the optical bus diagnostic, the bad component and pull out the fuse on that bad component. At the same time, check all the fuse for your mmi system and see if they are good. The optical part of the mmi is a loop. So the main unit send a signal and this signal must go from all the components and came back. When you know which component are bad, you just have to unplug it and plug it with and optical loop to remove that component from the mmi system and everything should came back to normal execpt for that component... The part number for this is : 4E0 973 802. Call a housing. From there you will be sure what is your problem. If your problem is coming from your amp like mine, find one with the same part number as your, change it, it is really easy to do. But you have to go at the dealer to remove the component protection that will kick in. Mine charge me 0.4 hour to do it. 75$ canadian dollar. I find the amp in a scrap yard for half the price of a new one. 975$ canadian dollar. If your problem is coming from the radio it is the same way to diagnose but I don't think there a component protection on it. But I'm not sure about it. There is two way to know about component protection. First, with vcds, you going to see a fault on the module and second, the module going to work but not as it is supose to. My amp work but sound came only on the driver door, without bass at all and the telephone nobody can ear me but I could compose and ear the person I was calling. So do your test, post the result and we help you the best we can. Good luck.

c@@kiemonsta

You won't believe the turn of events in this case. Last night, after work, I attempted to turn it on again. This time, nothing. No sound, no MMI. Just the splash screen and immediate shutdown over and over again. I basically had surrendered and was going to pursue a replacement of the amp. And yes it was the amp that got soaked indeed. I placed a towel over it and ran the wipers again. Sure enough fluid came out pouring onto it and out of the D pillar tweeter like a waterfall! After seeing that I knew there was no hope...but...this morning, I get into the car, fire it up, and wadya know?! The whole thing turns on(MMI, radio, everything!) and works like nothing ever happened. I ended up driving for 15 minutes with not a single shutdown or anything. Same thing a few hours later. I am so happy. It has been a total miracle.

I also found that my drivers door sub needs a replacement, something I didn't know because the bass was turned up before, but after a MMI reset, I was able to tell.

life4sk8

Good for you!!! So now don't use the rear windshield washer until you fix it! You got better luck than me.

c@@kiemonsta

Oh yeah most definitely. I've even put a thick washcloth on top just in case some phantom leakage decides to rear it's ugly head.