Loss of Favourites in MMI

[Grae]

Hi, I've just bought a brand new Q3 and have immediately noticed that the MMI system does not retain the radio stations set up in Favourites after the ignition has been switched off and left for half an hour or so. Defaults to a random radio station. Happens intermittently but regularly.  Also seems to sometimes lose the Bluetooth connection and phone favourites. The system also seems to go regularly go back to what looks like a start page even though it recognises the key user. . Obviously I will take it back to the dealer but has anyone else had this experience and do you have any ideas? Thanks

[Grae]

Hi,

      I've just bought a brand new 2024  Q3 but have discovered that after setting up radio stations in Favourites, those Favourites regularly disappear after the ignition has been switched off for 30 minutes are so, and on re-starting the ignition, the MMI system seems to revert to a start-up page and a random radio station; even thought it acknowledges there is a key user set up. Has anyone else experienced this or have any ideas? Obviously, I'll take it back to the dealer. Thanks in advance.

 

 

      

[GregDeR7]

Hi, I have just come across your post. I have a brand new A3 S-line black edition.  I have the same problem, it happens at least once per day for me.  No-one seems to have a definitive answer.

Edited July 12 by GregDeR7

[Snowman]

Took delivery of a new A3 SLine 35 TFSI in mid June and within 5 days I was reporting exactly the same problem. After poor technical service from my dealership the general sales manager became involved.  Car was booked in for a couple of days.  Been told it is a known problem and Audi Germany are supposedly working on a fix.  I have been given a timescale of 1 month - we'll see!!!  I would suggest anyone experiencing the same problem contacts their dealership and tell them you want it sorting.  The more complaints Audi get then we might get a resolution quicker

[Grae]

Thank you David. That's very helpful to know. My dealer replicated the issue and sent a technical service message to Audi. Audi immediately have come back and said to delay me bringing it in to the workshop as they don't yet have a fix. But hopefully they are indeed working on it, although if you trawl through the web you'll find this issue seems to have been around for quite aa while. Like you, I'm going to keep the pressure on.  If you do get it fixed please let me know! Graeme

[Grae]

37 minutes ago, GregDeR7 said:

Hi, I have just come across your post. I have a brand new A3 S-line black edition.  I have the same problem, it happens at least once per day for me.  No-one seems to have a definitive answer.

Hi Greg, Hopefully you can see my reply of a few minutes ago. As David (Snowman) said, hopefully if we all go back to our dealerships and put the pressure on, something will get done by Audi. Graeme

[Snowman]

As Greg and Graeme say, need to put pressure on.  I did notice comments on other forums detailing similar type problems on older cars.  I certainly haven't had these problems on previous A3's and I am a big radio listener when driving.  From my point of view, is that I don't think my dealership took me seriously, hoping I would 'go away'. I basically lost a week with their lack of interest. A customer complaint letter went off last night so I recommend you do the same if your dealership mess you around.  They badger us for a good review and 5 stars in the sales survey so when things fail they must be told and bluntly so.

I will post on and further developments

 

 

[A3sportback24]

I’ve just purchased a new a3 Sportback Black Edition - which is suffering the same issue here. Stored radio favourites stay for a day max then disappear and have to be re-entered.

i have talked to Audi connect services and they have given a number of different replies from “this should not be happening” through to mmi soft reset instructions through to suggesting it may be the strength of the LTE connection to the vehicle.

I read on a US forum that when the car is switched off it sends a data update to the cloud which includes radio favourites and if for any reason this data has an interruption then the radio favourites will not be stored at the next start up.

I have booked the car into a local dealers for a software investigation - but genuinely wondering if this is worth it - given the various comments on this thread already.

[Grae]

Hi, Your analysis is interesting as, certainly in my case, there is no set length of time for the fault to manifest itself. The car can be switched of for 5 mins and it occurs, or equally it can be switched off for a day and the system starts up ok. I had already thought it might be something like what you say. But the fact is , it shouldn't be happening and what will Audi do about it? My dealership is quite supportive and have now raised a formal case with Audi UK but ultimately say it is with Audi. Maybe if everyone else got their dealership to do the same, then Audi would need to sit up.  Audi already told my dealership to postpone me bringing it in to the workshop as they say there is currently no fix. Quite frustrating. Let us know if you get a fix please. Graeme

   

[A3sportback24]

I will do Graeme. I did also wonder if it was the new wireless Apple car play causing these issues too. But having tried a wired route - it makes no difference.

car is booked in on 09 August. I’ll be updating this group then.

Dan

 

[Snowman]

Just seen the new posts.  I concur with all of above.  Can happen on consecutive ignition starts or can be 4 or 5 starts before it happens.  I also could not get News, Weather etc to work so called Audi Connect, (the 0800 no on their website). After going through some diagnostics similar to mentioned on an earlier post (LTE signal strength for one) they have concluded there is Connectivity issues. Had to take photo's of the display and send them to Audi Connect.  I now believe the MMI unit as a whole is faulty.  Radio favourites is just the symptom we all noticed first.  Audi Quality Assurance & Testing Departments have a lot to answer for!!  Keep complaining to your dealerships and as we all have brand new cars I would suggest that once the issue is fixed to satisfaction we all claim compensation from our dealerships.  I know I will be.  Taking delivery of a new car should be an exciting time and having this problem has taken the shine off it!!

[Snowman]

Dan - Please take your car in as arranged.  The more dealerships that have to investigate this problem and refer it to Audi, the better it will be for all of us.

 

[A3sportback24]

Will do. The interesting thing for this group is that this is the second a3 I have had since April. Previously I purchased the pre facelift model but agreed a swap due to a number of problems I was having with the MHEV set up - mainly a terrible squealing noise each time the stop/ start kicked in. That car was using a previous MMI and there were no issues with that generation of MMI at all. So whatever Audi have done with the new MMI tech - it is serious fundamental flaw vs the previous generation. 

[Grae]

Ok so I did what one or two others have done and phoned Audi Connect. Spoke to someone called Costa who tried to help and who took over the camera on my phone to go through the screens.  The bottom line, according to him, is that if you don't have more than 3 bars on the LTE, the system won't work properly and won't retain your Favourites etc.  His only suggestion was to move my car to a better position outside my house 😞. He also switched off my Privacy setting but I'm not sure that's critical as in fact the system had started up normally this morning.  I said to him that surely Audi should have a better internet connection on its vehicles but he said there was nothing else he could do, its to do with my location. I do know that if I drive 300 yards down the road I get 4 bars on the LTE. 

He gave me a Reference Number. 

I'm not sure what this LTE is dependant on but I live in South London and have a strong internet connection in my home, so how can the car not pick up a signal? 

Just doesn't seem right for a car worth £40k. Not sure what to do next. ........

[A3sportback24]

I think it’s about how the LTE links to the privacy settings and if the MMI is left in radio or CarPlay mode when you turn it off. I have just filled up my car with petrol in an area with full LTE bars with the radio left on but also in CarPlay mode for Apple Maps settings.

When I returned to the car to restart it - the max privacy settings came on and I lost all favourites settings. But this did not happen overnight and first thing this am - the car started with Radio 5 left as a favourite. But it started without full privacy settings. 
 

it seems to me that there is some sequence of events that makes the MMI revert to full privacy - and if this happens, then the car immediately loses all favourites.

[Grae]

However, this morning, my car was in full Privacy (as found by the Audi Connect guy) but had retained all the Favourites overnight...... 

[A3sportback24]

Bizarre. Seems to defy all logical approaches.

I’ve just called Audi UK customer services to start a formal case - and get this on the books. Nothing more I can do until the 09 August now. Will keep you posted. 

[Snowman]

This morning I had 4 bars on the LTE so tried News etc.  Made no difference, just a blank screen.  Had to turn Privacy Off.  

[A3sportback24]

Yes - I clear privacy all the time now too. But probably after about 3-4 starts it comes back again and the system starts “initialising” again and then we are back to random radio station and all favourites lost.

[GregDeR7]

Hi Everyone, I have read through the replies and I have been through the Audi customer service route, they are supposedly referring my case back to the dealership.  I have also emailed the dealership yet again to try to sort this out.  I have also bought the 4 year extended warranty for £295 and have not had any paperwork back concerning it.  If I hear nothing back by Monday I will start a formal complaint.

Thanks everyone 

[Grae]

Hi Greg,

              Unfortunately we may be in some kind of loop between Audi and the dealers.  My dealership (who seem supportive) basically say it is something that Audi UK need to fix. Indeed Audi have told them not to take my car into the workshop right now as there is no current fix, although they recognise it as an issue without suggesting what they are doing about it. My dealer say they have now raised a formal case with Audi UK on my behalf, although, like you, I'm probably going to call Audi Customer Services myself tomorrow. It seems to boil down to instability in the Audi Connect system. 

[GregDeR7]

Cheers Graeme

 

 

[A3sportback24]

Digging around further online - and it appears Audi are referencing a software update due in q2 2025 - which would be a shocker.

some other people referring to how they’ve been in for software updates that have resulted in new problems 

Edited July 24 by A3sportback24

[Grae]

Surely Audi can't expect us to accept that as a satisfactory solution. 

[A3sportback24]

Will keep you posted