91 MMI3G+ Audi connect only reaches 2G service - Telephone module replacement instructions for
A4,A5,A5 Cab,Q5,Q7,A8
91 17 57 2039476/8 November 3, 2017. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 91 number 16-70 dated
September 7, 2016 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

A8

2011-2013

All

Audi connect

Q5

2013

All

Audi connect

Q7

2012-2013

All

Audi connect

A4, A5, and
A5 Cabriolet

2013

All

Audi connect

Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision

Date

Purpose

8

-

Revised Condition (Removed requirement for customer letter; Added
MY2014 A8 to affected vehicle population)
Revised Service (Added note about service provider switch)
Revised Additional Information (Added TSB 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 2011-2013 A8, 2012-2013 Q7, or
2013 A4, A5, A5 Cabriolet, or Q5 vehicle only reaches 2G service.
 The customer is no longer required to have a letter from T-Mobile or from Audi of America regarding
the issue. The repair can be performed at the customer’s request.
Tip: This bulletin applies only to model year 2011-2014 A8, 2012-2013 Q7, and 2013 A4, A5, A5
cabriolet, and 2013 Q5 vehicles. For 2012-2013 A6 and A7 vehicles see TSB 2039515: 91 MMI3G+ Audi
connect only reaches 2G service - Telephone module replacement instructions for A6 & A7. This bulletin

Page 1 of 14
© 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.

does not apply to model year 2014 and newer (with the exception of the A8). Starting with model year
2014, the new telephone module was installed in production (with the exception of the A8).
Model year 2014 A8 vehicles are included in this repair. Model year 2014 was the last year before the A8
product improvement and ElsaPro will show these vehicles as model year 2013 because those vehicles
share the same technology and design as a model year 2013 A8 vehicle.

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.
Devices that do not support 3G service on the 1900MHZ band (including MMI main units of the vehicles to which
this bulletin applies) 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 (with the exception of the A8).

Page 2 of 14
© 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.

Service
The telephone module can be replaced with an upgraded module that supports the additional 3G GSM spectrum.
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 currentlyinstalled 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 numbers
are:
 8R1035746D, 8R1035746E, 8R1035746F, or
8R1035746G
 4L2035746D, 4L2035746E, 4L2035746F, or
4L2035746G
 4H0035746F, 4H0035746G, 4H0035746H, or
4H0035746J

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.

Page 3 of 14
© 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.

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.
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 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 A4, A5, A5 CAB, Q5, Q7, and A8”
video at https://audi-external.kzoplatform.com:443/swf/player/300 (Figure 1). (See TSB 2039206: 00
Viewing TSB videos for more information about viewing videos.)
Repair procedure if the 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:
 For Q7: Electrical System >> Communication >> MMI Infotainment (USA) >> Information
Electronics Control Module 1 J794, Removing and Installing
 For A4, A5, A5 Cabriolet, Q5, and A8: 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.

Page 4 of 14
© 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 5 of 14
© 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
MOST connector (Figure 4).
A foam block can be used as a spacer under
the main unit to keep the grounding strap
connected.

Figure 4. VAS6613 ESD work surface grounding device
clip.

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

7. Remove the seven screws that are holding the
MMI top cover in place (Figure 5).

Figure 5. MMI main unit with screw locations for top cover
indicated by the red arrows.

Page 6 of 14
© 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 6).

Figure 6. Break white warranty seal.
9. Using a flat head screw driver, your fingers or a
plastic wedge trim tool, remove the top cover
(Figure 7) 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.
Note:
Removal of the top cover is only allowed once.
This ensures that system components are not
contaminated with metal screw filings or other
debris that can occur after multiple attempts of
opening the main unit.
Figure 7. Pry top cover off with fingers.

Page 7 of 14
© 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.

Figure 8. Pry top cover off using plastic trim wedge tool.
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 it moves
significantly, the ribbon cable can detach from
the circuit board and disable the CD drive’s
functionality (Figure 9).

Figure 9. CD drive mounting points are free to move.

Page 8 of 14
© 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.

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

Figure 10. Telephone module retaining screw indicated
by the red arrow.
11. Carefully lift up the telephone module, using both
ends as points of contact when pulling up (Figure
11). The module is held in place with a computer
socket-type attachment and will release when
enough force is used.

Figure 11. Lift up on both ends of the telephone module
as indicated by the red arrows.

Page 9 of 14
© 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.

12. Before proceeding, write the serial number of the
new replacement UMTS telephone module on
the rework label (Figure 12).

Figure 12. Serial number of the PPIS UMTS telephone
module indicated by the red arrows and red box.
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
13).

Figure 13. 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 seven top cover screws.

Page 10 of 14
© 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:
If the CD drive is not aligned properly it can cause difficulty when applying torque to the top cover screws.
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 rework label on the top of the main unit
cover. Do not cover any part number labels
(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.
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

Page 11 of 14
© 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.

update the ZUG software to K0942, using the required software update SD card listed in the
Required Parts and Tools section of this bulletin.
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.

Page 12 of 14
© 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.

 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).

Warranty
Claim Type:

1SP

Service Number:

9170

Damage Code:

0040

Labor Operations:

For vehicles needing software update only (all models):
Update MMI software and perform SVM

9170 0299

120 TU

For vehicles needing hardware replacement and software update:
UMTS telephone module retrofit

9170 1999

160 TU

UMTS telephone module retrofit (Q7)

9170 1999

165 TU

UMTS telephone module retrofit (A8)

9170 1999

200 TU

GFF

0150 0000

Time stated on
diagnostic protocol

(A4, A5, A5 Cab, or Q5)

(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 #2039476/8

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.

Page 13 of 14
© 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

1-2GB Blank SD card for driver script (