Audi’s entire radio and navigation system is built on the Audi MMI (Multi Media Interface) platform, which is contained in an infotainment screen on the dash. It encompasses a number of handy electronic features including phone calling, Bluetooth connectivity, and satellite radio. The entire system is connected by fiber optic cabling. It’s absolutely beautiful when it works—until it doesn’t. Then you’re lost with no music or way to call someone from the Bluetooth. It’s like being back in the 1970s again—but worse, because you don’t even have any FM top 40 stations.
Here’s how to troubleshoot repair problems with Audi’s MMI platform.
Easy Mode Audi Troubleshooting: Fuse Check
For starters, does the MMI start at all? If it doesn’t, there is a possibility that the system isn’t receiving power. Your first step should be to check the fuse.
Though many of the fuses that control the MMI module are located in a compartment in the left side of your trunk, it is a good idea to look at your owner’s manual before you dive right in. It will tell you where the fuse box is located and which fuses are connected to you MMI. Once you find your fuse compartment, open the side panel and take a look at the fuses. Since you now know which are connected to your Audi’s MMI, you can zero in on them and check them with a multimeter to see if any are burned out.
Don’t have a multimeter? Take out each relevant fuse, and see if the connected metal thread is broken. Usually when the fuse is bad, there is an obvious break in the center of the metal wire, occasionally with a black mark at the break. Depending on the fuse, however, any breaks may not be physically visible. Even if the fuse doesn’t look bad, it’s a good idea to put in a fresh fuse and try your MMI again before moving on to the next step of your attempted Audi repair.
Fuses are okay? Time for Option Two: Amp Check
Next, check the amp. Since the entire system runs on a loop, if any one module stops working, the whole thing breaks down. The way the amps are positioned make them a likely problem if your Audi’s MMI is acting up. Things as seemingly minor as leaked washer fluid or rainwater can ruin an amp. Check your trunk for any leaks. If your amp was destroyed by a leak, the amp will need to be replaced, unfortunately. Regardless, you should fix the leak or your will risk blowing another amp.
Hard Mode Audi Troubleshooting: Check Each Module, One by One
If the fuses look okay and your amp is unharmed, go ahead and check the other modules, one by one. Unlike checking the fuses, which can be accomplished with a critical eye instead of a multimeter, you need a fiber optic bypass loop—which you can pick up for less than $20. Unplug the fiber optic plug going to the module itself, and then plug in your fiber optic bypass loop. This will bypass the module. If the system begins working when you’ve bypassed a module, bravo! You’ve found the culprit.
Do the same thing to the one inside the glove box by releasing the CD changer. Other modules can be found in the same trunk compartment you found the fuses. Once again, your owner’s manual will likely be your best friend for the specific locations of these modules.
Keep in mind that the button panel on the center console also works as a module. Spilled drinks, food, and kids can unfortunately wreak havoc on these buttons. You could try cleaning it, but if the buttons are the culprit of the module not working, it’s likely a lost cause. The console will need to be replaced.
Last but Not Least: Visit Your Cincinnati Audi Mechanic
We saved the best for last. If you still haven’t found the solution, there is a likely chance that you will need to replace the main module. Unfortunately, it’s expensive and will need to be swapped out and reprogrammed by an Audi electrical specialist.
Before you throw the baby out with the bathwater, however, it is a great idea to have a professional take a look and troubleshoot your Audi’s MMI. If you just had to Google what a fiber optic bypass loop is, you are probably not a car electrical specialist. When it comes to something like this, it often saves both time and money in the long run to go directly to your Audi mechanic after you’ve checked your fuses in the first place.
