Help with Audi radio problem?

[Mr Tea]

Howdy,
I'd appreciate any help anyone could offer with a problem I have with the radio in my 98 Audi A6 1.6SE.

When I turn the centre knob to adjust the volume, it either goes immediately to VERY VERY VERY loud, or to barely discernable. I can adjust things like the bass, treble, etc like a dream with a universe of choice, but the volume has a mind of it's own. (maybe it just doesn't like my taste in music)

Can anyone with experience help at all?

Is there something wrong with it...or me?

Cheers.

[Ants TT]

Hi,

I'm no expert but I know my way around electronics. It sounds to me as though either your volume control button is faulty or it may be that your stereo is equipped with an automatic volume control that gets louder or quieter depending on the engine revs. If so it sounds as though this function may be faulty.

Ant's TT

[jacobsdad]

Hi,

or it may be that your stereo is equipped with an automatic volume control that gets louder or quieter depending on the engine revs. If so it sounds as though this function may be faulty.

Ant's TT

I agree. As I remember with these radios you use the volume switch to also adjust the bass/balance/fader etc., so if the switch works for those options without a problem I would say its the sensor for the vehicle noise that's at fault.

[gazza57]

[quote=Mr Tea;2992]Howdy,
I'd appreciate any help anyone could offer with a problem I have with the radio in my 98 Audi A6 1.6SE.

When I turn the centre knob to adjust the volume, it either goes immediately to VERY VERY VERY loud, or to barely discernable. I can adjust things like the bass, treble, etc like a dream with a universe of choice, but the volume has a mind of it's own. (maybe it just doesn't like my taste in music)

Can anyone with experience help at all?

Is there something wrong with it...or me?

Cheers

Mr Tea,
I have just posted the what I think your problem is, I had the same, I bet your radio is an Audi Concert.
Type in Audi Concert Radio Problem in the search box and it'll tell you who to take the radio to which will solve your problem

[fenstodger]

This problem is common on the early Concert radios, as far as I can make out it is a design problem with the internal memory, which records all the settings when you turn off so that on restart you continue with the same settings. This memory has a finite life of about 100,000 operations, which sounds like a lot, however as every setting is recorded for every step of any adjustment it soon fills up! When this happens it dosn't know what to do, hence all or nothing, which I know from personal experience is VERY frustrating. Unfortunately the only permanent cure is an exchange radio, the new ones have had this fault fixed so I am assured, at a cost of about £180. OUCH!
My local Audi specialist told me that Audi knew about the problem but would not recall them.

[gazza57]

What you describe fenstodger is exactly correct with one exception.
The fault is as you describe, the set is manufactured by Blaupunkt and the software in the Motorola MC6805 processor chip in the concert radio had been incorrectly written. What it should have done was to write all of the radio settings, bass, treble, fader, balance and volume to a memory chip at switch off so that at the next switch on, those settings can be applied.
You will notice that the concert radio centre control knob is stopless, it doesn't have a mechanical stop so it therefore relies on the settings stored in the chip at the last switch off to give it a reference point from which to work.
The faulty software glitch not only writes those settings to the chip at switch off, but also every time the volume is adjusted.
And as you describe the memory chip gets filled up much much faster than it should and when it's full the system doesn't have any reference settings to apply and you either get zero volume or full volume.

Firstly, the bad news for you is that Audi have always known about this but in common with most other manufacturers have refused to face up to their responsibilities.
Because my set and car were out of warranty, Audi were not interested. I had been able to prove that this fault had always been there from the day the car left the factory...still not interested.
I supplied websites where this fault had been completed analysed and identified.
Audi's response....
"We do not recognise any sites or individuals or content not approved by Audi " how convenient.

Now the good news, you don't need to replace your concert or pay £180 to solve this problem.
Type OE on google and you will find a company called OE Electronics of Calne in Wiltshire.
I sent my set to them and they replaced both the memory chip and the MC6805 controller chip and they flashed the new software minus the glitch into the chip and returned it by post for £80.
That was last September and my Concert has suffered no problems since.
Hope this helps
Gazza57

[Froggy]

See the link in my sig...:D

[domin]

i wonder if any one would know bout this problem i have audi a3 04 with standard concert cd radio 4 some reason my back speakers dont work in menue when operatin the fade mode front is ok but back nothin can it be any thin ele in menue or fault with the radio

[Byrnt]

Hi Froggy,

Got another one for you, though it may be a couple of weeks before I can send it as the 98 A4 is in the garage getting more serious problems fixed (don't ask). Can you let me know the cost of shipping to the irish republic please and also it would be great if you have any instructions on how to remove the unit from the car in the first place without doing damage.

[Froggy]

Hi Byrnt,

I'm afraid it costs us £40 to ship a unit to the Irish Republic for a signed delivery, using Parcelforce. Obvoiusly we wouldn't charge you VAT, so the total bill would be £108.50 sterling.

As for removal the unit comes out very easily with the correct Audi release keys, like these!
http://www.deals-on-ice.co.uk/shop/images/audi%20merc.jpg

Hope that helps.

[teersy]

Hi there all,
Have just read through this thread as I have exactly the same problem (amongst others) in my old boy 98 A6 and its concert system. I'm thankful there is an alternative solution to this snag than going to Audi and giving them the satisfaction of gleaning cash from me for a problem they created and subsequently disowned, somehow.
I'm sure my local garage will scoop out the unit and i'll get it sent away to OE.

Many thanks,
Jase.

:beerchug:cheers.

[Crash7]

Froggy,

I have this radio issue on my Concert in my S3, its driving me nuts!! Can you PM me where I need to send it to, what I need to include, what it is going to cost and how long it will take, etc etc

Cheers

[Froggy]

PM just being sent, but see the thread in my signature!

[Markku V]

Hi Froggy! I read the threads about the problem and I have the same annoying volume problem as many people seem to have with their old Audi Concert units. I live in Finland. Would it be possible to repair my concert radio in your service? Or do you know someone in Finland that can repair my Concert unit? Or I would also be interested to know if you could supply a programmed chip that I could install myself.

Best regards

Markku

Audi TT -99 225 Quattro

[Froggy]

We can offer the service to anywhere in the world, however the carriage costs can be a little prohibitive. We normally use UPS as our couriers and they aren't the cheapest unfortunately.

The chip can be supplied, but you would have to be confident of removing and refitting a 54 pin J leg surface mount device.

Normally in Europe it works out at about £105 for the repair and return carriage... If you PM me your unit details, Model number and a delivery address I can give you a more accurate price.

[jaseskyrme]

:Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush:: Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::B lush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush::Bl ush:

I have just had my Concert System returned by OE Electronics in Wiltshire. I had the normal volume control problems (ie suddenly very loud).

OE returned the unit within a week and it now works perfectly. I have sent Audi the bill (£80) and await their response!

Thanks to the people at OE -great job! I am happy to recommend you wholeheartedly.

Jason Skyrme
:beerchug:

[A62.5TDIV6]

Hi,

Its def a volume control fault, as previously mentioned. I have the same problem with my Concert head unit.

Just got a replacement off Ebay. They are not usually cheap, average I've seen is between £50 - £70. I just got one for £30 (result!). Removal keys cost 99p!

All the best.

Will.

[gazza57]

I have just had my Concert System returned by OE Electronics in Wiltshire. I had the normal volume control problems (ie suddenly very loud).

OE returned the unit within a week and it now works perfectly. I have sent Audi the bill (£80) and await their response!

Thanks to the people at OE -great job! I am happy to recommend you wholeheartedly.

Jason Skyrme
:beerchug:[/quote]
Jason,
I would be interested to hear what audi do about the £80 bill you sent them.
My guess is that they won't even have the courtesy to reply.
I ended up calling them to get dialogue moving, because I failed to get any written reply, I think the crux of this problem is that they are terrified of creating a precedent over this fault because its so very large and affects 1000's of vehicles.
The simple facts are that the software when it left the factory had an inherent bug which seriously affects the life of the radio.The easy way out for them is to deny the problem exists or to play down it's significance both of which they appear to have done.
What they underestimated was the fact that some software guys outside of Audi have analysed it and revealed the fault and the fact that it has always been there from the start.
Of course, the way out of this for them at this point is to fail to recognise anybody unconnected wih Audi, which of course they also did.
There is no way the first purchaser or any subsequent purchasers of the vehicles concerned can have any idea that a potential design fault is in the radio, so how can you report it to the dealer during the warranty period if the fault had yet to manifest itself?
Their response is, as ever typical, they refused to even consider my claim, you'd think out of courtesy they could have made a contribution...ah well
Good luck though
Gazza57:D