tangible

Every time I start my 2013 A6 Prestige, the radio (or whatever source I was last using) starts to play. This happens whether it was on or off when I shut the car down.

My preference would be for it to follow whatever it was when I turned the car off, but if I can't have that I would take having it be off by default.

Is this normal behavior? Can I change it?

Thanks.

snagitseven

Normally, the radio will always come on at a specific level when the car is restated. However, the only option is to hold the radio volume/mute controller down for a few seconds (not just a tap which just mutes the sound) before turning the car off. Next time you start, the radio should still be off. As I recall, as soon as you hit the Radio mode or volume/mute controller, it will come back on.

newmoon

A workaround is to leave a blank SD card in the slot and select it whenever you want the audio to stay off.

tangible

Thanks to both responders for your suggestions.

- I tried Snagitseven's approach, with only partial success. Turning off the radio by holding down the button does shut everything down, folding the screen. When the car restarts the screen remains folded, and the radio is still off. However, pressing the NAV button to see a map opens the screen and the radio then goes back on.

- I haven't tried newmoon's idea. I'm sure it will work, but he correctly describes it as a workaround. It seems weird to turn off the radio by selecting another source.

All I want is what my Dad had in his 1949 Plymouth: A radio that keeps its on/off status, station, and volume until the driver changes it. C'mon Audi, it can't be that hard!

snagitseven

The issue is because the other MMI functions like Nav are tied to the sound system. If the radio is off, none of the other audio functions are available so Audi decided to program the MMI to keep it simple by activating the sound system, screen and radio when other functions are selected to avoid any operator confusion. They felt that if the screen goes up, the operator expects audio to work. Sometimes simple is the best solution and sometimes it's not. Just another one of those Audi programming oddities we have all learned to live with.

SmokingTires

I rented an A4 wagon when vacationed in Scotland 2 years ago and was infuriated that the radio would always turn on every time I start the car, even if I turned it off before. So, fast forward 2 years, I am in the US and shopping for a new car. I go to an Audi dealer and really like the A6. So, I ask the dealer right away about the A4's infuriating habit of turning radio on by itself and whether the A6 has the same issue. His says "no, it's gotta be some European model's oddity". So, we test drive the A6 and I notice it did the same thing. Here he says, "I am sure there's a setting in the MMI that disables that behavior". So, I trusted the dealer and ended up with an A6. I still love the car and would buy it anyway, but it proves that 1) you can never trust the dealer in the knowledge of the cars they are selling; and 2) perfect cars don't exist and there has to be at least a few things to annoy the driver.

James517

Are you not wanting the screen to go up when you start the car? Or are you not wanting to hear the radio/media?

I turn down the volume on the radio when I turn off the car. Even after I push the Stop button, the control on the console still works.

The volume setting seems to be saved & recalled for the next time I start the car. I'm ok with the media coming on (as it takes some time to read from the iPod). But I don't necessarily want to hear it when I first get in the car.

tangible

Thanks, all. I've learned to live with it. In fact, I perfected hitting the ignition button with my index finger and the mute button with my thumb almost simultaneously. Kind of like heel-and-toe downshifting in the old days.

I do take to heart SmokingTires' comment that there are no perfect cars. My wife points out that this observation applies to spouses too. Just look for one that meets your basic needs, doesn't leave you stranded by the side of the road, and provides an occasional thrill. The rest is gravy.

SmokingTires

Well, well, well... The modern luxury cars are by far closer to perfection that the spouses LOL Remember, there's no mute button on the spouse controller