sgroer

So I took my car to Nalley Audi in Alpharetta today for the reverse camera install... Great people there. A couple hours later I get a call from them to tell me that they cannot calibrate the reverse camera with the aftermarket wheels on it. It has to do with some tool they attach to the wheels... Something called a domino tool. No idea what it's for. However they had to pull a new a6 off the lot, install the stock wheels, calibrate the camera and then reinstall my wheels. The fun part... Audi doesn't cover the tech doing the wheel install so they charged me $50 for that part. I am a little annoyed by it, might write a letter to Audi. In the letter I got, there was no mention of a potential charge if I have aftermarket wheels. I couldnt get mad at the dealer... This seems to be an audi issue . My dealer pointed out that they are the ones covering the charges for the camera install and when one of their techs is working on non warranty work, it is billable. Oh well... The camera is working and I am pleased. Just a warning for those with aftermarket wheels... Prepare yourself!

PJRed2008

Its hardly Audi's fault that you decided to put different wheels on the car. You expect them to design one of those tools for any wheel somebody might want to put on the car? I'd say you got away cheap for the $50, and I'd hardly call it a fiasco.

3PedalMINI

+1

I cannot believe you got off with only having to pay $50 considering audi charges $175 for tire rotation. It isnt audi's fault you put aftermarket rims on. I see absolutely no issue that your dealer charged you for the time it took to grab a car and remove the tires.

Hardly a fiasco, rather showing you good customer service. THe dealer had every right to call you and say we cant do it, you must place your OEM rims back on then bring it back in.

ultrahertz

I am not entirely certain why the backup camera install involves a calibration with the wheels at all. Perhaps it has something to do with turning the front wheels and the projected guidelines in the image?

If the original poster is concerned, he may wish to contact Audi of America to determine whether the charge was warranted.

3PedalMINI

Its for the "zones" the three blue areas where the go from dark to light. Believe it or not there are a ton of people that use the camera 100% and cant guage the distance. They are there to help you. To my knowledge Audi was the first to offer this and i think the new bmws will offer it too.

HDK

So, I'm assuming once the camera is calibrated the fitment of after market wheels has no effect? i.e., the camera does not to be recalibrated?

Nutdotnet

Same happened to me. Wasn't charged though.

I disagree with other. No, it certainly isn't Audi's fault regarding putting on aftermarket wheels, but no one informed me about the need to have stock wheels on until after the install of the module. How are we supposed to know that we need our stock wheels on? Hell, it's 20 degrees outside and the streets are covered in snow and ice. You're crazy if you think I'm going to roll around in my stock 19s in that, haha.

I wouldn't have agreed to the charge, unless they notified me prior to doing the work. That's a different story.

3PedalMINI

I assume that it would be off by a few inches, nothing to crazy unless your one of "those" people who rely on their camera to pack in and out of spots.

Barry626

100% correct!

I put 20" wheels on my car & if I was charged I would be a ok with it!
In fact $50.00 is real cheap & should of been much more!

sgroer

I'm fine with the charge and in retrospect, reading my post it does come off a little bit worse than it was.

It's a "Chicken or the Egg" argument, I guess. Had Audi done a better job planning their supply chain, I wouldn't be there in the first place. It's moderately inconvenient to have to go there for a chip that should have been in the car in the first place. But getting unexpectedly dinged on the way out the door was a little frustrating.

In the grand scheme, it's miniscule. But just wanted people to be prepared for this.