MMI removal as no satellites recieved for GPS

[Entwood]

2014 A6 allroad and the satnav has just started misbehaving. Internet search has enabled me to find a way of knowing that 0 satellites are being received, so I suspect the sharks fin aerial has failed. I don't think its simply moisture as its been bone dry for 10 days and the car is black and has been stood in the sun, so the roof has got pretty hot!!  Seems that is a real PIA to replace as the whole headlining has to be removed. Several sources state that unplugging the existing GPS aerial and replacing with a generic GPS aerial from fleabay is a simple and effective solution .... only problem is I can find no detailed instructions on how to remove the MMI to do such a thing !! There are various mentions of special tools and/or dismantling centre consol and others say its simple just one bolt !!  So what is the truth please !!  Could someone who "knows" give me a detailed guide to the easiest way of accessing the GPS plug on the MMI so I can then fit a replacement GPS aerial. Any ideas greatly appreciated.

[alpha omega]

is this any good apologies if different....

 

[Entwood]

Thank you for your efforts, but mine doesn't look quite like that, and certainly does NOT have those two little cutouts.

Hopefully someone can offer other ideas!!

Edited June 4, 2023 by Entwood
smelling pistakes

[Entwood]

Found an article that says the MMI is held in by one screw that is accessible after the climate control panel is removed.......  but doesn't tell me how to remove the climate control panel ..... any one able to assist ?

 

[alpha omega]

is this any good

 

[Entwood]

That looks a possibility, thank you, appreciate the help. Hopefully these tools will be man enough to do the job !!

 

12 Heavy Duty Car Trim Removal Set Radio Panel Door Dash Vehicle Repair Pry Clip 7427274231726 | eBay

[memzey]

17 hours ago, Entwood said:

Found an article that says the MMI is held in by one screw that is accessible after the climate control panel is removed.......  but doesn't tell me how to remove the climate control panel ..... any one able to assist ?

 

Can you provide a link to this article please?

[Entwood]

7 hours ago, memzey said:

Can you provide a link to this article please?

Remove Audi MMI module (audizine.com)

That's all it says .....

[memzey]

Thanks Entwood. My sat nav has me somewhere off the coast of Cornwall rather than where I actually am (London at the moment but normally Hertfordshire). I read about people checking how many satellites their unit is connected to. Does anyone know how to check this? I suspect it’s a shark fin antenna issue but am early in my diagnosis. 

[Entwood]

OK, from memory as the car isn't here at the moment.....   with no route planned, select "Tour", then select the topline, regardless of what it says, press centre button, rotate centre button one click clockwise. Should now display number of satellites and assumed position .. in my case "0" and south wales-ish even though I'm 80 odd miles from there !!

[Entwood]

Progress, of sorts.....  using the second video above (thanks Alpha Omega) and the purchased tools, I successfully, eventually, gained access to the rear of the MMI. The cables are very short and a couple have to be unclipped to get to the back. Plugged in a generic GPS aerial off eBay (less the £5.00!!) and it all started working, 9/10 satellies received... happy me .. or so I thought...... I couldn't work out/see any way to mount the aerial near the windscreen, so simply placed it on top of the MMI. Then had some "fun" getting it all back together..... there is VERY little room and the numerous cables conspire to prevent easy access/movement ... but got there eventually. Test drove it and it was VERY erratic, quick check and only 3/4 satellites... so obviously on top of the MMI is useless. Another days work I guess trying to find a better place/way, but at least I know how to gain access.

To add to my woes, the "safety systems" warning is now illuminated... I wonder if the repeated moving of the seat and kneeling on it to try and get a torch/eyesight into the MMI area has damaged something, a very quick look doesn't show any loose connections, again something for another day ...

......at 72 my arthiritus, bad back, eyesight and patience have all run short for today !

[memzey]

I had a similar experience today but a better outcome - at the moment that is, touch wood it continues to work.
 

I took the A/C control and MMI units out and tried to find a useful location inside to fix the generic antenna to. Very limited options, as you say, unless one is willing to take off other bits of trim and chase cables through (I wasn’t).
 

I decided I would put things back as they were and place the new antenna in the roof lining by using the existing extension cable to the shark fin. Once I’d put everything back together again I thought “just give it a quick test memzey to see if anything’s changed “ and lo and behold it was working fine! 9 satellites being picked up no less!! I suspect my problem was the cable connection to the back of the MMI unit which may have worked its way loose, there was definitely something awry with it at first.

 

All good now though apart from my endeavours have triggered the airbag light on the dash. I’ll try to pop to my mechanic in the coming days to get him to reset it for me as I don’t have an ODB reader - unless someone on these boards knows how I might be able to do it myself?

[Entwood]

Quick update folowing the weekends efforts. On Saturday I removed the MMI again and found a way to re-route the generic aerials cable such that, although not perfect it is out of the way and the aerial is at the bottom edge of the windscreen. Satnav has worked perfectly with 8/9/10 satellites when ever checked. At least this proves its the existing aerial that is the problem. 

Along with memzey I also still have the airbag light now on since I started this saga. I don't have a code reader so the car is booked in to a local non-audi specalist for next week. They will check out and fix the airbag problem, and advise me on their cost of fixing the satnav aerial properly. I know I've got it working with the bodge, but I like things done properly.....

[memzey]

13 hours ago, Entwood said:

Quick update folowing the weekends efforts. On Saturday I removed the MMI again and found a way to re-route the generic aerials cable such that, although not perfect it is out of the way and the aerial is at the bottom edge of the windscreen. Satnav has worked perfectly with 8/9/10 satellites when ever checked. At least this proves its the existing aerial that is the problem. 

Along with memzey I also still have the airbag light now on since I started this saga. I don't have a code reader so the car is booked in to a local non-audi specalist for next week. They will check out and fix the airbag problem, and advise me on their cost of fixing the satnav aerial properly. I know I've got it working with the bodge, but I like things done properly.....

Nicely done Entwood. Can you shed some light on where you placed the generic antenna please? If things change at my end, I might need to do the same. 

[Entwood]

Hi memzey, antenna is placed front right hand corner of dash just beside the speaker grill (1.jpg). Cable goes down the right hand side, then in behind the fuse box cover,(2.jpg) then out and under the steering wheel area with excess cable pushed into the large recess, (3.jpg) cable then goes up and over, tucked in between the fascia and the steering wheel and into the MMI. I simple connected to the MMI then reseated the MMI with the cable coming out of the top right corner.(4.jpg) Not ideal in any way but it works. Car is booked in to a local auto electrician to have a new aerial fitted the week after next. The SRS warning light is apparently caused simply by having to unplug the two cables underneath the MMI in order to get sufficient access to the aerial socket. Simple reset with the appropriate kit sorted that.

[Peter Higgo]

All of this post so far refers to pre-2018 model A6... I have a 2019 with the 'full glass' wrap across MMI. The GPS on the nav failed. The GPS antenna is in the sharks fin on the roof. The module where the GPS antenna connects to is behind/above the glove box. Remove the glove box and look straight up - there is a silver control unit and you will see that one of the connectors is a blue fakra - this is the GPS antenna. 4 x bolts hold the unit in place. Drop the unit and plug a new antenna into the blue fakra port {obviously disconnect the existing antenna} and you should get GPS back. Stick the antenna on top of the LH centre vent facing upwards through the dash.. Done... No need to change the sharks fin.. :-)