Purchased and fitted Audi AMI interface but it doesn't seem to work

[C0rnholio]

First off - my car is a 2009 A6 C6 with MMI 3G ( 2 x SD, internal HDD, DVD and CD Changer ) + Bose. It didn't came with AMI interface fitted so I figured I could purchase one and fit it myself.

I purchased an AMI harness and fitted it in the glovebox. The interface code is 4F0 035 727 and the seller said it's designed for MMI 3G Systems - so I figured that if it's designed for 3G and has the name starting with 4F0 it should fit my car fine.

it looks like this : http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1_FGmKVXXXXcoXVXXq6xXFXXXm/-font-b-Audi-b-font-AMI-font-b-Audi-b-font-Music-Interface-Retro-fit.jpg

So I fitted in the glove box, connected everything in the back of the MMI unit after removing the glovebox. With VCDS I logged on the 5F Module, Adaptation channel 6 and made sure the value was 1 ( and it was as I have activated the green menu in the past ).
Then, in the green menu, I activated all options related to AMI in the Diagnose/Settings - AMI/AUX - chosen 1/8 option ( AUX/AMI BT/AMI ) - restarted the MMI unit.

I have purchased a generic AMI lead with AUX and USB - looks like this : http://www.channypicture.com/pic/uploadfile2/UploadFile/P0/SKU339832/3ED79B56C68616E6884E9E97CDCF039392C8CF56639DCC0373 23D221CFCF56CBD2C8CD732B9ED266CB43C6D243EA43335699 269C669AC21656C9A0CD.jpg

In MMI menu - at MEDIA / Source all I am getting is the AUX external audio input - which works fine. If I connect a usb stick I don't get any other option, nothing happens, it seems that the USB is not even receiving power from the AMI unit as I tried 2 usb dongles which have a LED light up when they are plugged in and receiving power but nothing happens.

Do I need to activate anything else ? How do I know if the AMI interface is good ?
Can I check it with VCDS ? Should it appear somewhere that the harness is fitted correctly and the car "sees" it ?
I understand it could very well be the cheap usb cable lead but I don't know anyone in my town with an AMI fitted to a 3G MMI car si I borrow his USB or iPod lead.\
Even if the USB lead is not good, shouldn't I have a grey out USB option in my MMI Source if the harness is ok ?
If it's important - I have the original MMI Firmware - I am a little skeptical about making the update as I understood, sometimes the BOSE audio system goes a bit crazy after the firmware update.

Thank you all

[Gunnark100]

You are running usb-auxin cable, but i guess in aux mode it will work only with male/usb mp3 player(it will not read usb memory stick). If you want to use normal usb stick, you need other cable and settings in green menu! Could be wrong!


Just disable bose(DSP) from list, before hit start and update your soft and maps also!

[C0rnholio]

You might be right about the USB player with aux out - but in that case, shouldn't there be 5V Power on the USB to power the mp3 player ? I get no power at all I think... I also have a Bluetooth adapter USB powered and with AUX out which should work just fine if you are right ... I will test it when I get to the car but I don't have my hopes up about having any power on that USB lead.

What I want to know... on a car with a working AMI - if no cable/lead is connected into the AMI plug, are there any options grayed out in MMI / Source or those options appear ONLY when you plug in a working cable and correspondent device ( ipod, USB dongle etc ) ?

About the update - how do I disable BOSE from the list, what list ? Is there such an option when updating the firmware ?

[Gunnark100]

Not connected or empty source is gray!

http://www.satnavsystems.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Media-view-Audi-3G-HDD-Navigation-System.jpg

[C0rnholio]

Well damn ... that was I was afraid of.
I got no such grayed out options over there.
All I have, after fitting the AMI harness, except for the DVD, SDs etc which were already there is the AUX IN option ... which works fine, but I suppose that's an analog entrance so it has nothing to do with the "digital" part of the harness which I am not sure it works.
Is there a way I can see if the AMI is correctly installed ? Maybe a VCDS scan or something ...

[Gunnark100]

Your ami is working, just remove the usb cable, and change green menu setting for example to 7/8, where you have no aux, .... ami etc...and restart the system, under media you should get now ami instead of aux! you may try usb stick after that, but probably it will not work with cable you have!

[B5NUT]

As above try a different setting, as I never had AUX I used. Also you need to reboot the MMI just escaping out of the green menu will not show up the AMI option.

This is my setting but I had no Aux.
http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o708/exchange56/MMI3G_AMI/WP_20141021_004Medium_zpsa164e501.jpg

[C0rnholio]

Will go out at the car and try different settings and update on the progress ;) thank you for the input.

[C0rnholio]

First off HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody !!

Now, I took a small drive tonight and played a bit with the options - I tried different settings and everything that had the AMI activated gave me only the Aux input option and everything that had NO AMI - made the AUX option dissapear.
I don't have any other option either active or gray like what you guys have...

Once the AMI is installed, can I check whether the car actually "sees" it or not ? Somewhere in VCDS ? If you scan the 5F module, do you get any piece of info on the AMI ?

Is it possible that because I am running the original 2009 firmware this interface is somewhat unsupported ? I will try and update the firmware tomorrow, I think this is my last option ...I surely hope its not the AMI harness...

Ps this is what I am having right now
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170101/c2eb9bc0a17c99f54dfb5d58a3644cd8.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170101/a8e588272605fc70c18e8216b3373e36.jpg



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[Gunnark100]

Happy new year, sorry to hear, but it could be sw issue.

Why, i have no ami connected, but i had settings 8/8 and just for test i did set it on 7/8 and i got source ami under media. And recently we had two retrofits with same type of cable you got(if your picture is correct) with setting 7/8 and ami working ok! So update soft or if you want to be sure, remove connector c(ami) from behind mmi and test it with setting 7/8 and if you dont get source ami, its 100% sw issue. I run 257-6 at the present, just use user define mode and after bose or dsp mark N if there is Y or S!

One huge thread here regarding AMI!

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/146002-struggling-with-AMI-part-numbers

[C0rnholio]

Do you have Bose ? Also, it seems that you have an A4 and as far as I know, although the A4 and the A6 share the same MMI 3G High - the AMI harness has completely different part code and the A4/A5 cable will not work on A6/A8 and vice versa. So the whole system might behave a little different - although I doubt it, but we need to take that into consideration :)

I am getting everyhing set-up and ready for the firmware updates as we speak and will try a complete firmware + maps update tonight with the help ( over the phone and video-calls ) of a guy that does these type of updates. He says that in order for the AMI to work, I have to update the BOSE so opting that out is a no go ( seems rather logic since its acutally a multimedia thing ). He has a very specific and precise order of doing everything so I will do exactly what he says.
Hopefully, I won't have any issues with the sound system after all the updates - in case I do however - he can also set me up with the local dealer ( he knows someone ) so they can recalibrate and fix the Bose system in case its needed and won't cost me an arm :)
I will keep you guys posted.


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[C0rnholio]

So - after about 5 hours or fiddling with 7 SD cards ( don't ask ) - I managed to update the MMI to the latest firmware + latest 2016 maps. No issues with Bose. I can also confirm that the AMI works as it should ( I'm currently on the 7/8 option in the green menu ).
If nothing is plugged into AMI - I have the AMI grayed out just like you guys, and when I plug in the USB + Aux cable - that option turns instantly into AUX input ( which is ofc selectable not grayed out ).

Now, what is absolutely IDIOTIC of me, is that I don't actually remember EXACTLY 100% sure if I tested the AMI without the cable plugged in to see if the AUX IN option turns to greyed out AMI.
I think I did but I am not 100% sure :D So maybe I could have had the "greyed out" AMI option available before the update :D
Anyway for best results, the firmware upgrade was due anyway so no harm done.

What I did test before the update though, was if I have power on the USB port on the clone cable I was using. I have a USB voltage and capacity tester and I was getting the 5.0V reading just fine. The USB dongles didn't light up the LEDs probably because no data was being read but there was indeed 5V power going in.
I have one of these Bluetooth receivers from my old A4 so I decided to give it a go :https://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Receiver-Bluetooth-Wireless-Technology/dp/B00MI906PK
So it has a micro usb input for power and a 3.5 mm output for music - it fitted perfectly with my clone cable which has a USB power output and 3.5mm input. So I could use it to stream music off my iphone/ipod via bluetooth ( and surely it still works now after the updates ). Of course I cannot control the tracks/playlists from the MMI controls but at least I can actually play stuff off my ipod/iphone until I purchase an OEM AMI -> iPod lead.

Apart from the map update which brings on 3D buildings and all that, I noticed 2 changes after all the updates: 1 - everything is A LOT snappier, the MMI is a lot more responsive now, changing between folders on SD Cards, and albums in Jukebox is visibly faster. 2 - the sound changed a bit I think. It could be that I am quite tired ( updates finished at about 4:30 AM :D ) - but I can swear the soundstage is a bit increased, the music seems a bit more 3D-ish and I have more BASS than I used to have. I'm not saying it's necessary better, especially the more Bass thing, because I tend to be quite analytical about "correct sound" and I already considered that the BOSE Sound System on the A6 had just a bit too much Bass as it was. I will try and listen to some more tracks I know well tomorrow...

Thank you all for everything ;)

[Gunnark100]

Thank you all for everything ;)

Well done, new map should be available very soon:drive: