Dave12A8

I have a 2012 A8 - one year old and owned since new. Since I first got the car, I have entered my voicemail number into the telephone settings. I also adjust the microphone level to max because everyone complains they can't hear me when the ventilation fan is going (another source of annoyance).

Every 1 to 7 days, those settings are erased from the system. When I press the voicemail button, it prompts me to re-enter the number and the microphone volume level resets to medium. Since I use the telphone and access my voicemail quite frequently, I find having to re-enter the number every few days to be an annoyance, not to mention having to occasionally reset the microphone level while driving when a call comes in.

The car has been to the dealership five times for this problem. Each time, an unsuccessful 'software update' was performed.

More recently, the dealership has replaced the telephone module and, when that didn't work, they replaced the whole MMI and it still hasn't corrected the problem. They have now had the car for more than 3 weeks on this visit.

The service advisor just called to say that they got another A8 in and it did the exact same thing (only the owner wasn't aware because he never used those functions). The dealership now thinks that this is 'normal function'.

Has anyone else used these features and not had the settings erased???

Thanks in advance.

David

BigBoy11

I don't know about the telephone settings disappearing but I can tell you that all hands-free systems have issues with the ventilation fan and telephone microphone. Our Lexus, Porsche, Expedition and A8L all have to have either the fan turned down to a lower speed or the vents directed downward away from the microphone. Otherwise, sounds like you are trying to talk over a tornado!

jakematic

I did use the voicemail once and it disappeared so I never used it again.
It was not terribly convenient for me because my provider at the time required additional #'s to be dialed.

Can not speak to the microphone issue, but as BigBoy11 said it sounds like a tornado some times.
My vents are perfectly level to help prevent that.

Dave12A8

Thanks for the comments. That's interesting, jakematic, that yours disappeared as well.

As for the additional numbers, that's what the "+" sign is for. My voicemail number was set up as "dial-in-number" "+" "password number". When it works, it works well.

If it weren't for that, I could just save the dial-in-number in my phonebook. But then I'd still have to key in my password while driving which defeats the purpose.

jakematic

Thanks, it was a little more complicated than just the password though.

My iPhone was on T-Mobile before they supported visual voicemail.
So you would have to press a number to listen, then a number to delete, lather/rinse/repeat.
Typically I would just call the person back to simplify things.

Will try it again now that it's fully supported and see if it sticks in MMI.

Christopher Marino

Have you tried saving it as a contact, but when you enter the phone number, put a comma after the phone number, then put in your code, so that the entry looks like: 123456789,12345. Don't have MMI, but this works on similar systems.

Dave12A8

Haven't tried that - the car just imports the telephone book from my blackberry. I will try once I get the car back though. Thanks for the suggestion.

Rick Fields

I have the same issue with the voice-mail number disappearing. I called Audi and they didn't know anything about it. I just took it to the dealer for the 5k service and they played around with a software update but they also told me I was the only one that has ever complained about it.

Just out of curiosity what kind of phone do you have? I have the Samsung Note II, maybe the phone and car don't like each other?

Dave12A8

I have a Blackberry but that's not the issue. Since I last posted, the dealership had the car for over a month and was in contact with Audi Canada over the issue, as was I. Audi Canada was horrible to deal with and I'll never buy another Audi again as a result.

They apparently tested multiple cars and the long and the short of it is that this affects EVERY A8 - regardles of phone type. They are supposedly working on a fix but it has now been months and I haven't heard anything.

I was called back to the dealership for a software update that redirects airflow from the vents - apparently I'm not the only one to complain that the microphone doesn't pick up my voice when air is moving. I now notice, for example, that, when I hit the voice command button, the fan reduces speed. All in all, I've just learned to keep the center vents pointed down (which now blow on me and I can't stand).

In summary, don't bother trying to fix the problem. It will only aggravate you. As for me, I'm going back to bmw (and should never have left in the first place).