2020 Audi A4 Allroad

The auto uses the Audi MMI system which controls basic functions such as radio, navigation, etc. The MMI in our car has randomly been crashing, which most importantly shuts down navigation at VERY inopportune times! I have read about this in a number of forums, and have tried various ways of resetting the system, but the problem persists. The forums suggest this is a common issue with this generation MMI.

The MMI (multi-media interface) frequently reboots during driving, resulting in a black screen and the inoperability of key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, navigation, and cell phone tethering (for hands-free operation). These reboots require user input, including entering a PIN to log into the user account (if set up) and repeatedly tapping on the MMI, which can be highly distracting while driving. By its very nature, the reboot catches the driver by surprise and requires diverting attention from driving.Typically, this user input is provided while stationary, immediately after starting the vehicle. The issue emerged sometime in February or March 2025. The vehicle was last serviced on April 17, 2025, at an Audi dealer. The dealer performed the recommended service. This issue constitutes a safety concern, as reboots can occur during reverse parking maneuvers, rendering the backup camera and obstacle detection sensors inoperable until the system reloads. Additionally, reboots completely disable the navigation screens and necessitate multiple user inputs to restore functionality, which can be hazardous while driving. Many states have enacted hands-free laws and requirements that mandate the use of dash-mounted systems to comply with these regulations. The reboots render such systems inoperative.

The MMI system sporadically and repeatedly reboots while driving. When this happens, I lose: radio/media, Bluetooth phone connection, SOS, navigation, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, parking collision warning, automatic emergency braking and rear cross traffic warning among other things. This also causes a very large distraction and poses multiple safety issues. This problem has been going on for months. This is not the first problem with these systems. There was a recall (that got cancelled) a few years back around what Audi calls the "conbox". They did some sort of repair but the system has been crippled since. There have been connection issues, problems with map updates, and other failures since then. Diagnostics show multiple logged communication failures with this system. Any further diagnosis or repair, they want to charge thousands of dollars without any guarantee it will be fixed. I've gotten quotes of $4,500-5,000 for a module replacement, but they aren't even sure it will solve these problems. Since the problem started in warranty, I shouldn't be paying anything for these repairs. Dealer seems oblivious to the actual cause and wants to just milk me for cash. There is a growing number of owners with the same problem: [XXX] Due to the severity and number of occurrences, this should warrant a recall. Audi software is [XXX](and I'm a software engineer with 28+ years of experience, so I should know). The garbage they push on customers would have never passed review in any of my jobs. This is a severe safety issue and extremely poor customer service. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The MMI (Multi-Media Interface) in this vehicle is experiencing frequent unexpected reboots while driving, leading to a complete loss of functionality in critical systems, including: - Backup Camera & Rear Obstacle Detection – These systems become inoperable when the MMI shuts down, particularly during reverse maneuvers, significantly increasing the risk of collisions. - Navigation & Hands-Free Communication – The system failure disables Audi navigation as well as Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, making it impossible to rely on real-time directions or safely use hands-free calls while driving. - Driver Distraction – Reboots require user interaction to restore functionality, often demanding multiple inputs on the MMI screen. This forces drivers to divert their attention from the road, creating a serious safety hazard. A software update was performed by my local Audi dealer, intended to resolve the issue. However, just a few days after the update, the MMI rebooted again while backing up the vehicle, rendering the sensors inoperable and leaving the car stuck mid-maneuver for approximately 30 seconds—an extremely dangerous situation. The continued failure of the MMI system during driving, particularly driving while relying on navigation guidance and during reversing maneuvers, poses a direct threat to vehicle safety. The fact that the reboot issue returned immediately after a software update further suggests an unresolved systemic problem. Immediate corrective action is necessary to prevent potential accidents caused by loss of visibility, obstacle detection, and driver distraction.

The MMI (multi-media interface) frequently reboots during driving, resulting in a black screen and the inoperability of key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, navigation, and cell phone tethering (for hands-free operation). These reboots require user input, including entering a PIN to log into the user account (if set up) and repeatedly tapping on the MMI, which can be highly distracting while driving. By its very nature, the reboot catches the driver by surprise and requires diverting attention from driving.Typically, this user input is provided while stationary, immediately after starting the vehicle. The issue emerged sometime in February or March 2025. The vehicle had the software update done at Flemington Audi and problem still persists today. This issue constitutes a safety concern, as reboots can occur during reverse parking maneuvers, rendering the backup camera and obstacle detection sensors inoperable until the system reloads. Additionally, reboots completely disable the navigation screens and necessitate multiple user inputs to restore functionality, which can be hazardous while driving. Many states have enacted hands-free laws and requirements that mandate the use of dash-mounted systems to comply with these regulations. The reboots render such systems inoperative. Numerous reports on online user forums suggest that this issue is widespread and affects the same model year vehicles. For instance, see https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-...20-a4-3082501/. Several Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that available software updates should be applied to address infotainment-related issues. Relevant TSB numbers include: TSB 2067021, TSB 2076404, and TSB 2069112.

The MMI (multi-media interface) frequently reboots during driving, resulting in a black screen and the inoperability of key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, navigation, and cell phone tethering (for hands-free operation). These reboots require user input, including entering a PIN to log into the user account (if set up) and repeatedly tapping on the MMI, which can be highly distracting while driving. By its very nature, the reboot catches the driver by surprise and requires diverting attention from driving.Typically, this user input is provided while stationary, immediately after starting the vehicle. The issue emerged sometime in February or March 2025. The vehicle was last serviced on February 7, 2025, at an Audi dealer. The dealer performed the recommended 50,000-mile service and did not identify any abnormalities related to the MMI during the multi-point vehicle inspection. This issue constitutes a safety concern, as reboots can occur during reverse parking maneuvers, rendering the backup camera and obstacle detection sensors inoperable until the system reloads. Additionally, reboots completely disable the navigation screens and necessitate multiple user inputs to restore functionality, which can be hazardous while driving. Many states have enacted hands-free laws and requirements that mandate the use of dash-mounted systems to comply with these regulations. The reboots render such systems inoperative. Numerous reports on online user forums suggest that this issue is widespread and affects the same model year vehicles. For instance, see https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-b9-platform-discussion-212/mib3-2020-mmi-rebooting-spontaneously-2020-a4-3082501/. Several Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that available software updates should be applied to address infotainment-related issues. Relevant TSB numbers include: TSB 2067021, TSB 2076404, and TSB 2069112.

The MMI / Map Display will intermittently restart itself, sometimes as often as 5 minutes apart. Each time it reboots, there is a chance that manual intervention (PIN code entry or login) is required to get it working again. Until the PIN or password has been entered, maps and other core car features are unavailable. Having to deal with these reboots while driving is severely distracting - losing directions while driving is disorienting and has sent me down wrong turns in the past. If the MMI asks for a PIN or password after reboot, one has to stop looking at the road for however long it takes to enter that. The problem hasn't been confirmed by a dealer or service center, but there are several posts online where ~a hundred people are running into the same software issue, on the same car, that started at around the same time. The vehicle/component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. The dealership wanted to charge me a diagnostic fee to begin taking a look at it, and others haven't had luck getting the problem fixed for that fee. Other symptoms of the problem include a sluggish volume knob response, and CarPlay navigation being sluggish and the car's displayed position jumping back and forth. This problem happens at all speeds, on all types of roads, even at rest. The fact that it started happening on many different cars of the same model year at around the same time implies that it's likely a software issue.

The SOS a system has again failed in the car. When this happens, the navigation and the emergency contact button doesn’t work and the cell phone is no longer paired to the car. The module is currently installed in the car. It could be available for inspection if needed. This is a safety issue because the SOS safety button no longer works. Also, the cell phone is no longer useable in the car hands free and this is not safe in emergency. The phone cannot be paired to the car by manually trying to do so. The car no longer recognizes the cell phone. Car will again go in for service on March 3, 2023. My car had this problem before and the SOS module was replaced approx 14 months ago. No one has yet inspected the car. The car is going in for diagnostic service for this very issue at the Audi dealership on Friday March 3, 2023. The message that I received suddenly yesterday while driving was: “No data connection could be established. Please check the network coverage.” Failures to this module result in an unsafe vehicle. Thank you!