[Simon235]

Thanks John, my warning is on permanently, I think there are two problems, the intermittent one is resolved using either a reboot or a software update, the second and what I have, appears to be only resolved with a replacement battery which are on long lead times. In discussion with both local Audi dealership and direct with Audi UK Executive Customer relations to find out if or when it will be fixed.

 

[RSQ3John]

Would be interesting to get the part number of the replacement part that they are waiting for - might suddenly appear!

 

[Simon235]

I've asked both Audi UK and Plymouth Audi, but strangely they haven't told me. I have just received an email from Audi UK to say that I have to be patient but they have no idea when a battery will be supplied. I'd certainly be wary of purchasing a new car at the moment.

 

[Gromit]

Me too, regardless of brand!

 

[mwcltd]

That's a bit negative. All products which use semiconductors and/or batteries have the same supply problems. Neither Covid-19 or the Russians help. We just have to live with this until a light is seen at the end of the tunnel. The SOS problem is trivial and will not kill you. If you feel that the problem is insurmountable then sell the car and get a new one. Out of the frying pan into the fire. As a last point, it is better the devil you know. I have had Audi's of all flavours for almost 40 years and getting to know the dealer well does grease the wheels.

 

[Simon235]

I'm just giving my opinion, I hadn't singled out Audi although my friends with other makes aren't having this problem and Audi Plymouth told me that they had at least 30 batteries on order, so how many problems are their across the group. You would expect Audi to be doing all that they can to resolve the issue. I also wouldn't expect a backup battery to fail 12 months after purchasing a £60k car. It might not be the end of the world to have the fault but when you don't know if that stops other messages being received then it is a problem. Audi had said that they would apply a fix so that the message wouldn't display, but as I've said in a previous post that didn't work either.
I wasn't aware that the Russians had anything to do with the lack of semi conductors in December last year, I was aware that the car manufacturers made the ill informed choice of reducing the amount they purchased due to Covid. As I understand they are using the same batteries in the new models including the EV models so they must have a good supply, just not fixing existing cars but selling new ones.
I've been an Audi customer for over 20 years, with numerous cars, purchased from other Audi dealerships as I reported them 10 years ago for trying to scare a young lady into buying 4 new tyres, saying they were illegal, to find that a national tyre company said in writing that they had nearly 3mm left.

 

[mwcltd]

You are so wrong. I have been in the computer industry for over 45 years and simple high volume semiconductors are manufactured in China and Russia due to reduced labour costs. I know of many manufacturers who have problems with third party components. A rechargeable battery is a trivial component as it is not directly related to driving the vehicle or safety. Take JLR products, they have a problem where the U bolts on the electric power steering motor fail and the steering then locks. Now that is a very big safety issue. Assuming that identical batteries are used in the EV range is an incorrect assumption as they use radically different technology due to the technology available when the vehicle was designed. The SOS function is not directly related to any other function. So, the accountants rule and Audi purchased the battery from an unreliable source, in fact it could be a specially manufactured battery so other battery manufacturers do not have them on the shelf. Audi cannot resolve the problem if they don't have the item to solve the problem. In the meantime you will just have to be patient and continually contacting Audi or the dealer will not make the resolution arrive any faster.

 

[Simon235]

Sorry, in my 35 years in IT, leading a technical team over multiple countries managing in excess of 500 servers let alone the thousands of internal clients I am fully aware of issues with suppliers of semi conductors. Never, in all that time have I ever experienced a problem with supply from Russia. China, Taiwan and South Korea have in the past affected the distribution, but not Russia, and as I said previously they didn't start this atrocity when I first had the fault.
In all my years in IT, Dell, Cisco, IBM, Wyse, EMC and HP and smaller companies like Stratus and IGEL that I have personally had dealings with, if they have a problem with a chip or battery, they've ensured that they replaced these rather than continue to use them in new servers.
Are you saying that the SOS system that they use in the EV is different than every other model that Audi produce? Are you saying that the SOS system is not the same as being used in the other Audi models? Are you also happy to pay for something that doesn't work? Do you not at least agree that the reason that the shortage problem started was that the car automotive industry (not just VAG) seriously misjudged the amount of semi conductors and associated parts required when Covid first hit, that they don't hold surplus stock to help manage cashflow.
How are other industries coping? I'm surprised I'm able to buy any white goods, a new model of telephone or even smart doorbell!
God forbid that anyone is involved in an accident, but if you've paid for a product, would you happily just wait without any idea of when the fault is going to be resolved?
You are obviously different than me, if I pay for something I expect it to work and certainly work until at least the warranty expires, if your router stops working at home are you happy to wait for 3 months with the supplier not able to give you a date for a replacement? It's not life threatening, just an inconvenience.
The SOS system is in the car for a reason, its been EU law that every new car from 2018 must have, it is supposed to automatically call the emergency services in the event of an accident, research says that this reduces the response time by up to 50% in a rural area and 40% in Urban. If its not working, or not working properly then it should be fixed just as quickly as any other fault.

 

[Stratos]

Mine is start-up fault and I also waiting about 2 months now for batteries (Greece), but I also have the MMI faults (above pics) and I am afraid is not from the same reason since i didn't find anyone else with same

 

[Simon235]

Mine is start-up fault and I also waiting about 2 months now for batteries (Greece), but I also have the MMI faults (above pics) and I am afraid is not from the same reason since i didn't find anyone else with same

Sorry to hear you're having problems too, I hope you have it fixed soon

 

[Glena]

I have now joined the “Emergency call function fault” club! The message comes on each time vehicle is started with an irritating audible warning!
I “contacted the workshop” as advised on the display and they’re not sure what the cause is so want to book it in for 1 or maybe 2 days… Reading numerous other articles online it would appear there are many other Audi/VW owners, all with the same problem.
I’m thinking of leaving it until it’s first service in Aug for them to sort it, in the meantime “the workshop” will hopefully receive feedback and realise there’s a general problem and be able to diagnose this more positively.

 

[Simon235]

I have now joined the “Emergency call function fault” club! The message comes on each time vehicle is started with an irritating audible warning!
I “contacted the workshop” as advised on the display and they’re not sure what the cause is so want to book it in for 1 or maybe 2 days… Reading numerous other articles online it would appear there are many other Audi/VW owners, all with the same problem.
I’m thinking of leaving it until it’s first service in Aug for them to sort it, in the meantime “the workshop” will hopefully receive feedback and realise there’s a general problem and be able to diagnose this more positively.

My fault was fixed after the backup battery was replaced, I don't know if you use the myaudi app, but they now have limited the amount of times it refreshes between each use of the car. I don't know but maybe this was one of the causes of the battery failing?

 

[KrisDeb]

You are so wrong. I have been in the computer industry for over 45 years and simple high volume semiconductors are manufactured in China and Russia due to reduced labour costs. I know of many manufacturers who have problems with third party components. A rechargeable battery is a trivial component as it is not directly related to driving the vehicle or safety. Take JLR products, they have a problem where the U bolts on the electric power steering motor fail and the steering then locks. Now that is a very big safety issue. Assuming that identical batteries are used in the EV range is an incorrect assumption as they use radically different technology due to the technology available when the vehicle was designed. The SOS function is not directly related to any other function. So, the accountants rule and Audi purchased the battery from an unreliable source, in fact it could be a specially manufactured battery so other battery manufacturers do not have them on the shelf. Audi cannot resolve the problem if they don't have the item to solve the problem. In the meantime you will just have to be patient and continually contacting Audi or the dealer will not make the resolution arrive any faster.

I don't agree with you, I expect my things to be working 100% or if they are getting fixed, DETAILED status what is being done, how and when it's going to be ready. I'm all against 'calm down and wait patiently' = 'we are sorry to keep you waiting on the support call for 8 hours but rest assured you and your call are important to us' = BS, generic blabbing, white noise, give me the facts and the facts are the logistics is awful now, everyone blame someone or something else but it's 2023, we have computers, networks, high-level designs, super-duper business processes and still we cannot control such things like production and delivery process of computer chips which are more in demand than air we breathe nowadays.

Also, I don't like your 'YOU ARE SO WRONG' attitude, I don't trust any 'oracle-type' guys who are starting their 'lectures' like this. If you would be facing me face to face, you would be getting 'talk to the hand' gesture, sorry to be brutal, I'm also no bs guy but I respect other people and I know that I can't be right 100% every time because there is always someone who knows better than me.

 

[Jalees]

Well this emergency sos thing first of all you need in emergency God forbid.
Secondly as per my experience I do still get these messages from time to time and get cleared. I believe its something to do with the connectivity try in different area.
After all its not interfering with normal car driving so I have left it alone never mentioned it I just had my 3rd service done.
I can't be car less for them to investigate keep my car for days.
But car definitely drives well even after that glitch.
As per my understanding this can never be resolved and do you really need that function?

 

[Glena]

My fault was fixed after the backup battery was replaced, I don't know if you use the myaudi app, but they now have limited the amount of times it refreshes between each use of the car. I don't know but maybe this was one of the causes of the battery failing?

Thanks, any idea where this battery is located?