Retrofitting: Audi Drive Select (Kinda retrofit)
10-22-2015, 10:41 AM
#21
10-22-2015, 11:08 AM
#22
AudiWorld Senior Member
man, Audi gave me the blues. 
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for your email update.
The link you have provided is to an Audi forum that is managed by other Audi owners. Audi World has no direct affiliation with Audi of America. The information contained within that website has not been verified by Audi of America to work. As the manufacturer, we are not able to assist you in modifying your vehicle to perform functions it was not produced to perform in the U.S. market. Audi dealerships are able to assist you with modifications to your vehicle, as they are still independently owned and operated businesses. However, this is at the dealer’s discretion, and furthermore, a modification to your vehicle that causes it to perform outside of Audi’s specifications will void your warranty. Repairs and parts due to future defects will not be covered by Audi of America if a modification to your vehicle is made. While I understand this is not the information you are seeking, I hope it provides further clarification on our position.
Thank you again for contacting Audi of America, Mr. Smith. If there is any additional assistance I can provide you in regard to your ownership experience, please do not hesitate to let me know. I welcome the opportunity to further assist you. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at +1 800 822 2834 (extension 43215). If I am unavailable, please provide your reference number listed above and one of my colleagues will be able to assist you. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you.
Warm Regards,
Thank you for your email update.
The link you have provided is to an Audi forum that is managed by other Audi owners. Audi World has no direct affiliation with Audi of America. The information contained within that website has not been verified by Audi of America to work. As the manufacturer, we are not able to assist you in modifying your vehicle to perform functions it was not produced to perform in the U.S. market. Audi dealerships are able to assist you with modifications to your vehicle, as they are still independently owned and operated businesses. However, this is at the dealer’s discretion, and furthermore, a modification to your vehicle that causes it to perform outside of Audi’s specifications will void your warranty. Repairs and parts due to future defects will not be covered by Audi of America if a modification to your vehicle is made. While I understand this is not the information you are seeking, I hope it provides further clarification on our position.
Thank you again for contacting Audi of America, Mr. Smith. If there is any additional assistance I can provide you in regard to your ownership experience, please do not hesitate to let me know. I welcome the opportunity to further assist you. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at +1 800 822 2834 (extension 43215). If I am unavailable, please provide your reference number listed above and one of my colleagues will be able to assist you. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you.
Warm Regards,
10-22-2015, 01:35 PM
#23
Audiworld Junior Member
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Wait, so AoA's official position is this Audi-provided retrofit kit that must be activated by Audi itself voids the Audi warranty?
Makes perfect sense.
Makes perfect sense.
10-22-2015, 02:59 PM
#24
Club AutoUnion
If they are going to tell you that something is going to void your warranty, they better darn well be able to prove and show without a doubt that what you did, did in fact, harm another component in the vehicle. I seriously doubt they would have any traction with that one seeings the system you bought is an Audi approved, labeled, "retrofit kit". Furthermore, SVM codes only exist for Audi approved repairs or retrofits - IE Cruise control. Trailer Hitch. Audi Drive Select...
10-22-2015, 03:55 PM
#25
When retrofits happen, they usually require coding. Coding can be done manually, but then at the risk that it will be reverted when its taken back to the dealer for maintenance, TSBs or other software updates. When a retrofit is considered an "approved retrofit" there will usually be an SVM code for the dealer to enter into the system. This code basically tells the mothership: Heres a scan of the vehicle as is, and this is what I want to activate in the car, and so the system generates and codes all involved modules in the car to reflect the retrofitted equipment. All of the new values in all of the modules are then uploaded back to the mothership and its stored in their database as "factory configuration". This kind of process doesn't happen for unapproved retrofits. AGAIN....SVM codes don't exist for unapproved retrofits. I would be very surprised if a warranty claim was denied on something that was done to a vehicle that was recoded through Audi's SVM server.
I think you will be SOL if you try to get Audi to do this for you without buying that retrofit kit - completely ridiculous. As Mrclopec stated, because they didn't "approve" this option in the US as standard material they will not honor it since the "mothership" does not recognize it. In my case, they will have to honor since I bought the retrofit kit. The Master Tech at Audi might not actually be able to enable this as well since there is not activation code.
Honestly, I'm not seeing much of a difference in efficiency mode. The car seems to shift gears faster, but the coasting is not happening as originally thought. This morning I was going down a hill and thought it would have the RPM drop to idle, but stayed above 2K when I was going about 70. I'll report more gas mileage stats after this weekend when I'm back from my trip and see if it indeed increases the MPG. I'll baby the throttle too, which always yields me about 31.57 of 90% highway driving. Mixed highway/city will get me about 26.5-28.2 MPG. More "mountainous" driving gives me 24.5MPG. Sadly lost alot of my early MPG data, but gas history is at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/osxq94bhjf...-sync.csv?dl=0 using Fuelio.
Going to rent the VCD cable again, hopefully soon, and then run the log and it will have all my bit values, you might be able to sift through that to enable the efficiency mode that way.
Last edited by mroberte; 10-22-2015 at 03:58 PM.
10-23-2015, 01:52 AM
#26
AudiWorld Senior Member
Nah, I already mentioned someone found the efficiency mode using VCDs and could not determine if it was actually working.
Plus VCD mods is a clear modification to the car, which would likely in fact void the warranty. Which is why I rather have a dealer enable the option. But it seems AoA might still void the warranty as they are using the point that Audi franchise dealers are independent operators.
Audi is really sucking bad as a company. I wouldn't mind these rules/restrictions if they were say a company like Tesla Motors (or Apple who's headed toward the car industry) whom might offer all these minor features as accessible Over The Air upgrades.
Audi on the other hand....we can't even get a great Audi Connect MMI system. Features just drop off with no explanation (i.e. Facebook function). I still can't believe this paid service has no Centralized call service like a Hyundai Blulink or GM OneStar. Apple/Android Auto seemed to be marketing ploys as I doubt we will ever see it on our MMIs.
It's all just sad. Yet the company is quick to want to void your warranty if you try to ask for features, that the car is clearly capable of doing such as Efficiency Mode.
mroberte. Does your A3 have Dual Climate Control? Do this. Tap and hold the Auto dial, it should trigger the "ECO" setting. It's talked about in the manual, but that works in conjunction with the Efficiency Mode. Does that work?
Plus VCD mods is a clear modification to the car, which would likely in fact void the warranty. Which is why I rather have a dealer enable the option. But it seems AoA might still void the warranty as they are using the point that Audi franchise dealers are independent operators.
Audi is really sucking bad as a company. I wouldn't mind these rules/restrictions if they were say a company like Tesla Motors (or Apple who's headed toward the car industry) whom might offer all these minor features as accessible Over The Air upgrades.
Audi on the other hand....we can't even get a great Audi Connect MMI system. Features just drop off with no explanation (i.e. Facebook function). I still can't believe this paid service has no Centralized call service like a Hyundai Blulink or GM OneStar. Apple/Android Auto seemed to be marketing ploys as I doubt we will ever see it on our MMIs.
It's all just sad. Yet the company is quick to want to void your warranty if you try to ask for features, that the car is clearly capable of doing such as Efficiency Mode.
mroberte. Does your A3 have Dual Climate Control? Do this. Tap and hold the Auto dial, it should trigger the "ECO" setting. It's talked about in the manual, but that works in conjunction with the Efficiency Mode. Does that work?
10-23-2015, 09:20 AM
#27
Nah, I already mentioned someone found the efficiency mode using VCDs and could not determine if it was actually working.
Plus VCD mods is a clear modification to the car, which would likely in fact void the warranty. Which is why I rather have a dealer enable the option. But it seems AoA might still void the warranty as they are using the point that Audi franchise dealers are independent operators.
Audi is really sucking bad as a company. I wouldn't mind these rules/restrictions if they were say a company like Tesla Motors (or Apple who's headed toward the car industry) whom might offer all these minor features as accessible Over The Air upgrades.
Audi on the other hand....we can't even get a great Audi Connect MMI system. Features just drop off with no explanation (i.e. Facebook function). I still can't believe this paid service has no Centralized call service like a Hyundai Blulink or GM OneStar. Apple/Android Auto seemed to be marketing ploys as I doubt we will ever see it on our MMIs.
It's all just sad. Yet the company is quick to want to void your warranty if you try to ask for features, that the car is clearly capable of doing such as Efficiency Mode.
mroberte. Does your A3 have Dual Climate Control? Do this. Tap and hold the Auto dial, it should trigger the "ECO" setting. It's talked about in the manual, but that works in conjunction with the Efficiency Mode. Does that work?
Plus VCD mods is a clear modification to the car, which would likely in fact void the warranty. Which is why I rather have a dealer enable the option. But it seems AoA might still void the warranty as they are using the point that Audi franchise dealers are independent operators.
Audi is really sucking bad as a company. I wouldn't mind these rules/restrictions if they were say a company like Tesla Motors (or Apple who's headed toward the car industry) whom might offer all these minor features as accessible Over The Air upgrades.
Audi on the other hand....we can't even get a great Audi Connect MMI system. Features just drop off with no explanation (i.e. Facebook function). I still can't believe this paid service has no Centralized call service like a Hyundai Blulink or GM OneStar. Apple/Android Auto seemed to be marketing ploys as I doubt we will ever see it on our MMIs.
It's all just sad. Yet the company is quick to want to void your warranty if you try to ask for features, that the car is clearly capable of doing such as Efficiency Mode.
mroberte. Does your A3 have Dual Climate Control? Do this. Tap and hold the Auto dial, it should trigger the "ECO" setting. It's talked about in the manual, but that works in conjunction with the Efficiency Mode. Does that work?
The thing with AOA is you're asking someone that works in an office that most likely has never touched a car - maintenance wise - maybe pumping their own gas here and there. They will give you blanket statements to not open up a can of worms legally for them, which can then open a flood of inquiries. VAG already has a crap ton of work to fix at the moment, the last thing they want to do is continue to hand out more money, ala features, to its customers.
As for the Efficiency mode, after driving back home yesterday, there is a difference that I'm feeling. So before the VAS coding, the car would always shift down in gears pretty quickly, and usually be out of the turbo spool range, giving somewhat laggy performance.
Now in efficiency mode, the car is definitely making the gas pedal pushes more "lazy", not responding as quickly to pedal input while always being in the lowest gear. The transmission also shifts even faster to the lowest gear than say in comfort mode.
I have single climate control, so the HVAC doesn't seem to be changed, but can't tell as the A/C is never on.
All in all, this will most likely be my last and only Audi or Volkswagen product I own as the experience has been less than optimal for someone that is a gear head. You can't buy parts, dealer has no clue of the parts in question, AOA will say their own parts will void warranties, a significant number of options are not available, super old tech in a 50K car, warranty claims not being honored and blamed on owner, shoddy work, etc. As pointed out, I should of just bought a Hyundia (a copycat Audi design language) and got more features for about 20K less (apples and oranges but you get it). Plus aftermarket parts would be soooo much cheaper (really a $600 intake!). Waiting for the baby Tesla for the next car.
Hopefully you can find a willing master tech to help you @gamegenie, as all of these features are literally a flick of an options box for them to enable.
Last edited by mroberte; 10-23-2015 at 09:23 AM.
10-23-2015, 09:47 AM
#28
AudiWorld Senior Member
I think I'm going to have to abandon the idea of Efficiency Mode on the A3.
It's bitter sweet knowing that it is possible (you would be that example) but in the eyes of Audi of America and their Warranty coverage, it's just not worth risk.
Talk about a corporation not doing the best for their customer. I expected at least a worthy explanation on why Efficiency Mode was not offered to the US Audis.
Funny you mentioned Hyundai, they were the last car I driven and yes they were way ahead in technology over Audi.
Hyundai:
I wish Tesla Motors would make a hybrid, half engine, half electric Model S-like vehicle, Call it "Model E".
The Audi experience has turned me away from not wanting to move up on the Audi line. Especially since I know the US Audis will be lacking 50% of the features the European Audis have.
It's bitter sweet knowing that it is possible (you would be that example) but in the eyes of Audi of America and their Warranty coverage, it's just not worth risk.
Talk about a corporation not doing the best for their customer. I expected at least a worthy explanation on why Efficiency Mode was not offered to the US Audis.
Funny you mentioned Hyundai, they were the last car I driven and yes they were way ahead in technology over Audi.
Hyundai:
- They have a centralized in car service system Bluelink.
- They have remote unlock for push-button start vehicles.
- They offer more bang for the buck. The Hyundai Genesis was my initial choice before I went with a loaded Premium Plus A3. I'm still not sure if I made the right decision.
- and their designs are becoming more Audi since they picked up Audi's key designers, and probably more now that VAG has let go more staff.
- And they have Eco mode. Heck mostly all the other car manufactures have Eco mode. Even some Germans.... Mercedes Benz.
I wish Tesla Motors would make a hybrid, half engine, half electric Model S-like vehicle, Call it "Model E".
The Audi experience has turned me away from not wanting to move up on the Audi line. Especially since I know the US Audis will be lacking 50% of the features the European Audis have.
10-23-2015, 12:01 PM
#29
Club AutoUnion
Am I the only one who sees the hypocrisy in Audi telling its customers that unauthorized software modifications are forbidden without consequence? Or, maybe that's a new realization they have come to adopt...
10-23-2015, 12:11 PM
#30
I've been rolling my eyes at them ever since all of that was discovered. #CakeandEatitToo