Always An Audi Driver

As I have previously posted, I woke up one morning to find my 97 A6qw's battery dead. No keyless remote access, no interior lights, no anything. So I picked up my Dad's heavy-duty mobile car charger and hooked it up. When I connected it, it sparked and the meter read 60+ Amps and then settled to 25 after many seconds. The meter only goes to 60. Note I was not trying to start the car, this was just charging the battery. The battery seems to be OK after two weeks. I am really surprise by this, because I thought I would have to get a new one for sure.

After a while I started the car and reprogrammed the sunroof, one-touch windows, and seat memory. I noticed the radio was dead. The 5 Amp fuse in the back of the radio blew. So, I replaced it, but then the radio would not accept the code. Called dealer to confirm the code, it still did not work. After searching the AudiWorld archives I found out that my only option was the "dealer radio exchange program". I called the dealer$, or is it dealer$$$, and was quoted $200-250 for a core exchange of the radio.

So I hit the web some more and found:
Blaupunkt states that they recode the security code in the older Audi Delta and Gamma radios. The displayed radio is found in 1989-1991 Audi 100/200 series, and Audi V8. They should update the site because it looks like their pictured radio came out of a junkyard. Also the picture on the Gamma page is a nicer looking Delta.

So I called the national service center (Midwest Electronics) that is ~10 miles from my house, who pushed me to Blaupunkt to verify I was entering the code correctly, I was. Blaupunkt also stated that jumping the battery could damage their radios, they suggest pulling the radio fuse before jumping. Thanks, what a poor design, did the classmates of "team door handle" work there? On top of that he stated that the ECU was sensitive as well because they are both microprocessors, but the ECU is electrically well protected so it can survive a battery jump or exchange. "Because after all you still have to start the car after a jump or battery exchange". This is funny because I do not remember having to pull the radio fuse on any of the other cars I have jumped or changed the change the battery on.

So back to Midwest. Needless to say the repair depot does not get walk-ins often. They were unsure about fixing the Audi Delta CC until they saw the Blaupunkt sticker on the side. They quoted me $60-85 to recode the radio. But when I told them the fuse blew the service guy backpedaled and stated he would defer the cost estimate until the tech looked at it.

The estimate: the CPU went bad and would need to be replaced. Perhaps voltage spike damage. Also the tech notices that my volume control switch was original. He asked if I had problems with volume control, there was a know problem. Funny again because my dealer never believed me when I stated to them I had this problem. It was intermittent and they could not reproduce it. The tech stated that it was a bad design and a new switch would fix it. That makes two bad design issues, for those of you who are counting.

So a day later, the bill was $150.66 ($62 parts $84 labor plus tax.) still cheaper then the dealer exchange. And to top it off my AM band is working again, it has been out for 2 months. I thought it was the powered antenna, but who knows what fixed it.

In the bag of old parts:
One penny, thanks to my 2 old year son.
Volume control switch, unmarked.
Socketed microprocessor.

The microprocessor was socketed! This surprised me because most microprocessors of this type are soldered. It is cheaper. The socket makes it easily serviceable. Is this by design or necessity?

The paper work stated MC68HC05B as one of the parts. The chip is coded with the following items:
ZC99344CFN
8 925 901 978
0D60J
QQWD9639

Which means:
ZC special/custom part. Only Blaupunkt can buy this part.
0D60J MCU Device mask set identification.
9639 39th week of 1996. Production date.

The point of this is, that the part has errata. Most complex chips do. I could not find any specific issues with this exact part, but there have been issues on similar devices with the CAN bus and lockups. This could explain why people have had to pull the fuse to reset the radio after using a VAG-COM on it. The radio enters DIAG mode and hangs. The causes could be communication failures that cause a lockup or the soft reset logic hangs. In any event, a hard reset of the radio will clear the problem.

I hope this information is helpfully to someone. If it is, please let me know.

Russ
97 A6qw

References:
Audi radios:
http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/audi/radios/

Blaupunkt Audi Service
http://www.blaupunktusa.com/serv_supp/code_delta.html
http://www.blaupunktusa.com/serv_supp/code_gamma.html

Midwest Electronics
http://www.midwest-usa.com

Motorola
http://e-www.motorola.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=68HC05B8&nodeId=01M98633

TopFuelWeimar

Any identifying marks on the volume switch? I need to replace one!

Always An Audi Driver

It is a 9 pin thru-hole device. It should be easy to replace.

Here is what is on the old switch:
On top in ink:
596
6WV
molded on the side:
ALPS
Japan


try Midwest Electronics
http://www.midwest-usa.com

They may sell you just the new switch.
The part number on my recipt is:
8638800596 control, volume w/switch $25.50

TopFuelWeimar

Thanks! I'll see if I can source that part in the USA from ALPS.

TopFuelWeimar

According to ALPS that's a mfg date code not a p/n. :-(

TopFuelWeimar

However the 8638800596 P/N is available via midwest-usa! :-)