91 MMI3G+ Audi connect only reaches 2G service - Telephone module replacement instructions for A6 &
A7
91 17 56 2039515/8 November 2, 2017. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 91 number 16-69 dated
September 7, 2016 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

A6, A7

2011-2013

All

Audi connect

Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision

Date

Purpose

8

-

Revised Condition (Removed requirement for customer letter)
Revised Service (Added note about switching service providers)
Revised Additional Information (Updated references)

7

09/07/2016

Revised Service (Updated ZUG update number)

6

02/25/2016

Revised Service (Removed affected cities; added information about
notification letter)
Revised Warranty (Changed labor code for SVM update)

 The customer states that the Audi connect online service in their 2012-2013 A6 or A7 vehicle only reaches
2G service.
 The customer is no longer required to have a letter from T-Mobile or from Audi of America. This repair can be
performed at the customer’s request.
Tip: This bulletin applies only to model year 2012-2013 A6 and A7 vehicles. For other models, see TSB
2039476: 91 MMI3G+ Audi connect only reaches 2G service - Telephone module replacement instructions for
A4,A5,A5 Cab,Q5,Q7,A8. This bulletin does not apply to model year 2014 or newer. Starting with model year
2014, the new telephone module was installed in production.

Technical Background
Recently, T-Mobile (the service provider for Audi connect) has repurposed some of the GSM spectrum (3G on
2100Mhz band) to maximize 4G LTE coverage in certain metropolitan areas.

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© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
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America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Devices that do not support 3G service on the 1900MHZ band (including MMI main units of model year 20122013 A6 and A7 vehicles) will only receive 2G service when the switch is completed.

Production Solution
A telephone module that supports 3G service on the 1900MHZ band was installed beginning with model year
2014 vehicles. No repairs are necessary for model year 2014 vehicles and later.

Service
The telephone module can be replaced with an upgraded module that supports the additional 3G GSM
spectrum. In some cases, only an MMI software update is required.
Tip: The upgraded telephone module will only allow 3G to be received again in markets where T-Mobile has
repurposed the GSM spectrum for 4G LTE. It will not allow Audi connect to receive 4G LTE, which is not possible
with the MMI3G+ hardware.
If the customer requests the service provider to be switched from T-Mobile to AT&T, then reference TSB
2047951: 00 T-Mobile to AT&T conversion request by customer for GEN1 Audi connect.
Before starting the repair:
 Check the part number label of the currently-installed MMI
main unit. If the MMI main unit was replaced due to a GPS
location issue, the updated part already contains the newer
UMTS Telephone Module. The updated part number is
4G0035746E, 4G0035746F, 4G0035746G, or 4G0035746H.
If the part number suffix matches, the hardware repair is not
required. If the customer is allowed to switch to AT&T and
already has the updated part, an MMI software update may
be required. If so, skip to the Software updates section below.
 Review the Required Parts and Tools section of this bulletin.
 Obtain the telephone module retrofit kit listed in the Required
Parts and Tools section of this bulletin (if needed).
 Obtain the ZUG K0942 update on SD card listed in the
Required Parts and Tools section of this bulletin.

Figure 1. QR code for viewing the video with
a QR code reader on phones and tablets.
Alternatively, the video can be accessed
through computer internet browsers at the
link provided in this bulletin.

If the hardware module is being swapped:
 Obtain the telephone driver script from ServiceNet (ServiceNet >> AUDI >> Technician References >> Audi
MMI Scripts). The file name is MMI3GP_UMTS_Driver_Script.zip. Extract the three files to a separate SD

Page 2 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

card. Ensure that all three files are extracted to the root location on the SD card (do not store the files in a
folder on the SD card and do not copy the zip to the SD card; files must be extracted).
 Verify that the VAS6613 ESD work surface contains three grounding straps. The repair cannot be completed
without all three grounding straps, including the ESD mat.
Watch the “91 MMI3G+ Telephone Module Replacement Instructions for A6 & A7” video at https://audiexternal.kzoplatform.com/swf/player/301 (Figure 1). (See TSB 2039206: 00 Viewing TSB videos for more
information about watching TSB videos).

Repair procedure if updated hardware is required:
Note:
This exchange of the telephone module should only be performed in a clean environment due to sensitive
electronics. The repair should not be performed in a workshop environment.
1. Remove the MMI main unit from the vehicle according to the instructions in the Elsa Repair Manual at:
Electrical System >> Communication >> 91 Communication >> Infotainment System >> Information
Electronics Control Module 1 J794, Removing and Installing.
2. Prepare for the ESD work surface by cleaning the work area of all loose debris and then drying the area with
a towel. Doing so ensures that no debris will be rolled into the mat when it is rolled up after use, which could
cause long-term damage to the ESD work surface.
3. Place the ESD anti-static mat onto the surface. Ensure that all three grounding straps are securely strapped
to the ESD mat.

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© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

4. Ground the ESD mat by plugging the 110V
grounding strap into a wall socket or power
strip (Figure 2). If a power strip is used, it must
be plugged into a grounded wall outlet (see
attached user instructions for VAS6613 titled
“VAS6613 ESD Workspace Guide.pdf”).

Figure 2. VAS6613 ESD work surface grounding plug.
5. Ground yourself by placing the elastic strap
around your wrist. Make sure it is securely
touching your skin. It cannot be loose-fitting or
over your shirt cuff (Figure 3).

Figure 3. VAS6613 ESD work surface grounding wrist
strap.

Page 4 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

6. Ground the MMI main unit by placing an
alligator clip on the back, ensuring that it
makes contact with the metal housing of the
main unit. The most secure location is at the
bottom of the metal bracket (Figure 4).
A foam block can be used as a spacer under
the main unit to keep the grounding strap
connected (Figure 5).

Figure 4. VAS6613 ESD work surface grounding device
clip.

Figure 5. Foam block used as a spacer under the main unit.

Page 5 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Warning:
Your wrist, the ESD mat, and the main unit must remain grounded during the entire process.

7. Start by touching the screw driver to the ESD
mat to discharge any static that may be built
up in the tool. Next, remove the five screws
that are holding the MMI top cover in place.
The two screws near the faceplate (Figure 6,
green arrows) are longer than the others,
have thread lock on them, and may require
extra effort to remove. Keep these screws
separated from the others at all times.

Figure 6. MMI main unit with screw locations for top cover.

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© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

8. Break the white warranty seal on the back of
the main unit (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Break the white warranty seal.
9. Using a flat head screw driver, your fingers or
a plastic wedge trim tool, remove the top
cover by prying it from the back of the cover
at the location seen in Figure 8. If a flat head
screw driver is used then touch the tool to the
ESD mat to discharge the tool prior to
touching the main unit.
The top cover of the main unit has four metal
tabs that are slotted into the plastic front face
plate (Figure 9). Slightly lift on the rear of the
cover and pull back on the cover until the
metal tabs are released. Lift up on the cover
and pull it away from the face plate at the
same time to prevent bending the top cover’s
metal tabs (Figure 10). If the metal tabs bend
during this process, straighten them with a
pair of pliers.

Figure 8. Pry to cover off using plastic trim wedge tool.

Note:
Removal of the top cover is only allowed
once. This ensures that system components
are not contaminated with metal screw filings

Page 7 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

or other debris that can occur after multiple
attempts of opening the main unit.

Figure 9. Top cover metal tabs indicated by the red arrows.

Figure 10. Pull up and back to prevent damaging the
faceplate slots (Note: the orange/black holder is not
required).

Page 8 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Note:
Do not flip the main unit over at this point. The
CD drive, which was held in place by the top
cover screws, is no longer secured. If the CD
drive moves significantly, the ribbon cable can
detach from the circuit board and disable the
CD drive’s functionality (Figure 11).

Figure 11. CD drive mounting points are now free.

10. On the back of the main unit, remove the
retaining screw that holds the telephone
module in place (Figure 12).

Figure 12. Telephone module retaining screw indicated by
the red arrow.

Page 9 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

11. Carefully lift up the telephone module, using
both ends as points of contact when pulling
up (Figure 13). The module is held in place
with a computer socket-type attachment and
will release when enough force is used.

Figure 13. Lift up on both ends of the telephone module as
indicated by the red arrows.
12. Before proceeding, write down the serial
number of the new replacement UMTS
telephone module (Figure 14).

Figure 14. Serial number of the PPIS UMTS telephone
module indicated by the red arrows and red box.

Page 10 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

13. Place the new UMTS telephone module into
the socket, making sure it is level before
snapping it into place. Use both ends of the
telephone module when pressing it into
place. Do not press down using the purple
FAKRA connector (Figure 15).

Figure 15. Do not press down using the purple FAKRA
connector.
14. Re-secure the telephone module retaining screw into the back of the MMI main unit.
15. Place the main unit top cover back into the MMI main unit housing.
16. Re-secure all five top cover screws.
Note:
Ensure that each screw is in its original location. Using one of the longer screws in the wrong location can
damage the MMI. If the CD drive is not aligned properly it can cause difficulty when applying torque to the
top cover screws.

Page 11 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

17. Place the new warranty seal from the retrofit
kit next to the original warranty seal (Figure
14).

Figure 14. Place the new warranty seal over the location
indicated by the red arrows.
18. Place the repair label on the top of the main
unit cover. Do not cover any part number
label with the repair label and do not cover
the yellow laser warning (Figure 15). Fill out
all fields on the repair label.
Note:
Do not cover the yellow laser warning
label. The repair label may need to be placed
on sideways due to space limitations.

Figure 15. The white area indicates the suggested location
for the repair label on the top cover of the main unit. Do not
cover any existing part number labels or the laser warning.
19. Reinstall the MMI main unit in the vehicle and proceed to Software updates.

Software updates (required for all repairs):
1.

Turn the vehicle ignition on. When the system is fully initialized, perform TSB 2028141: 91 MMI3G/3G+ &
RMC Generic instructions for updating software or navigation data for MMI3G/3G+ to update the ZUG
software to K0942, using the required software update SD card listed in the Required Parts and Tools
section of this bulletin.

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© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Tip: Ensure that the SVM portion of the update is completed successfully without errors. If any issues
arise with SVM, contact TAC.
2.

Obtain the telephone driver script from ServiceNet. The file name is MMI3GP_UMTS_Driver_Script.zip,
and it is located at ServiceNet >> AUDI >> Technician References >> Audi MMI Scripts.

3.

Copy the telephone driver script to a PC and extract the three files to the root of an SD card (the three files
are labeled “reboot”, “graphics”, and “copie_scr.sh”).

4.

Turn the vehicle ignition on and allow the MMI main unit to fully initialize. It may take up to three minutes for
the main unit to fully initialize due to the hardware replacement. All options will be white in the Telephone
menu of the MMI when the system has fully initialized.

5.

Insert the SD card into the left SD card slot of the main unit. Once the card is inserted, the system will
automatically start the update script. When the script completes, a prompt or message will show on the
screen indicating that the driver update is complete.
Tip: If the message does not show after one minute, eject and reinsert the SD card back into the main
unit. If the driver script is not allowed to complete, the MMI main unit will not be able to recognize any SIM
card. Contact TAC if there are any issues with this step.

6.

Remove the SD card and perform a three-finger reset on the MMI main unit (see attachment
“MMI_SHORTCUT_KEYS.PDF”, which explains which keys to push for the reset for each Audi model).

7.

Once the system is fully initialized, insert the customer’s SIM card and verify that the system can receive a
signal.
Tip: If, after the ZUG software update the MMI main unit cannot recognize any SIM cards, repeat
steps 4-7. Follow the attached SIM Card Troubleshooting Guide if the driver script has already been
executed correctly. If the system still does not recognize any SIM cards, contact TAC.

8.

Perform a quick verification test to ensure that all functions of the MMI are operating correctly:
 Place the customer’s SIM card into the SIM card slot. Ensure that 3G reception is obtained and test data
downloads by connecting a device to the vehicle’s Wi-Fi hotspot.
 Place an audio CD into the CD drive and check for normal playback.
 Check that Bluetooth pairing is working.
 Verify that the AMI system is working.
 Check AM/FM/SAT radio operation outside the shop.
 Check that Navigation is receiving more four or more satellites (Navigation >> Route then scroll up to
top, then Select and scroll up to top again to obtain the number of satellites being received).

Page 13 of 15
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Warranty
Claim Type:

1SP

Service Number:

9170

Damage Code:

0040

Labor Operations:

Only if MMI software update is required:
Update MMI software and
perform SVM

9170 0299

120 TU

If hardware replacement and software update are required:
UMTS telephone module retrofit 9170 1999

165 TU

GFF

Time stated on diagnostic
protocol

0150 0000

(Max 40 TU)
Diagnostic Time:

Road test prior to service
procedure

No allowance

0 TU

Road test after service
procedure

No allowance

0 TU

Technical diagnosis at dealer’s discretion
(Refer to Section 2.2.1.2 and Audi Warranty Online for DADP allowance details)
Claim Comment:

As per TSB #2039515/8

All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures
Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.

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© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Required Parts and Tools
Part Number

Part Description

Quantity

8T0 051 431

PPIS UMTS telephone module for MMI3G+

1

VAS6613

ESD work surface

1

T10057

Radio removal tools

1

T40056A

Torx T8 screwdriver

1

3409

Trim removal wedge

1

Not applicable

Blank SD card for driver script (