AUDI Music Interface (Ami): IOS & Android Cable Compatibility Overview (GROUP 91, NO. 15-79)

AUDI MUSIC INTERFACE (AMI): IOS & ANDROID CABLE COMPATIBILITY OVERVIEW

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN

91 15 79 2038824/2 March 20, 2015. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 91 number 14-69 dated November 4, 2014.

Model(s)	Year	VIN Range	Vehicle-Specific Equipment
All	2007 - 2017	All	Audi music interface (AMI)

CONDITION

• The following message appears on the MMI display: "Device or cable type not supported".
• The AMI cable being used is a genuine Audi-branded cable with an Audi part number (see Required Parts And Tools for a list of valid part numbers).

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The "Device or cable type not supported" message may be displayed when an incorrect AMI cable type is connected to the MMI system. See the Service section of this bulletin for an overview of the AMI cables that support iOS & Android devices.

Only cables with an Audi part number (i.e., 4F0.XXX.XXX) are supported by the MMI system. Volkswagen-branded cables look similar, but are not guaranteed to work with Audi MMI systems. The label on the end of an Audi-branded cable has an Audi logo and Audi part number.

Audi-branded cables have unique firmware inside the hardware that can determine which MMI system and iOS device are connected to the cable. Volkswagen cables do not have this firmware. The firmware is required to allow the system to function normally due to the different technology available in the different MMI systems and in the different iPhones and iPod Touch devices.

In addition, the AMI system was designed to play the music stored locally on the connected device only. Music streaming (from Spotify or Pandora, for example) is not supported, and music stored in the cloud (on Google Play, Amazon Prime, or iTunes Match/iCloud, for example) may drop out, pause, and skip when played.

PRODUCTION SOLUTION

Not applicable.

SERVICE

Use the following cable overview to resolve compatibility issues, and share this information with the customer. Additional information can be found in the attached "AMI Cable Overview" document.

Tip:  MIB2 systems (first available in some 2016 A6 and A7 vehicles) no longer use the AMI cable. Instead, MIB2 systems utilize a USB port and USB cable to connect to the MMI system. The information in this bulletin does not apply to vehicles with MIB2 systems.

Tip:  Because the AMI system was designed to play the music stored locally on the connected device only, music streaming must be done using Bluetooth A2DP media streaming and not with the AMI cable.

Tip:  The iPod Classic is only supported by the black grommet 30-pin AMI cable for all Audi MMI systems.

iOS AMI cable support for: 

• MMI2G Navigation (MY 2007 - 2009) 

The Audi Music Interface has existed since the MMI2G system was developed. The MMI2G system only supports the black grommet cable with Apple 30-pin dock connector and the white grommet 8-pin AMI Lightning™ adapter cable (Figure 1).

iOS AMI cable support for: 

• MMI3G Navigation/Symphony Radio (MY2009 - 2012) 
• RNS-E Navigation (MY2010 - current) 
• Concert Radio (MY2009 - current) 
• MMI3G Basic (2007-2011 Q7 without Navigation) 
• MMI3G Basic Plus (2012 - 2016 Q7 without Navigation) 

The MMI3G system was the first system to support the new AMI cable with the blue grommet (Figure 2), which has an additional data transfer line between the iOS device and the AMI module. The additional data transfer line ensures faster detection when the iOS device is plugged in and unplugged.

With the introduction of the new Apple 8-pin Lightning™ connector (Figure 2), Audi introduced new AMI cables to support those devices. Systems that support the blue grommet 30-pin AMI cable also support the white grommet 8-pin AMI Lightning™ cable.

iOS AMI cable support for: 

• MMI3G+ Navigation (>CW22/2011) and RMC Radio (MY2010 - current) 
• MIB High & MIB Standard (MY2015 - current) 

The MMI3G+ system was the first to support the new AMI cable with the Red grommet (Figure 3). The Red grommet cable supports the analog video and album art transfer between certain iOS devices and the MMI.

The AMI Lightning™ cable with the yellow grommet (Figure 3) also supports album art transfer in MMI3G+/RMC, but it does not support analog video transfer as video playback is no longer supported by Apple devices with the 8-pin Lightning™ connector.

Tip:  In some A6, A7, Q7, and A8 vehicles built before calendar week 22 of 2011 (May 22, 2011), the MMI software needs to be updated to the latest version for the yellow grommet cable to function properly.

The MMI3G+ and MIB High systems also support the blue grommet cable (Figure 2), but no album art is transferred through this cable. (However, in MIB High, album art is stored on the internal MMI hard drive in the Gracenote database. Therefore, album art for some albums may be displayed from the hard drive when the blue grommet cable is used if the album art is stored in the Gracenote database).

For the MIB High system only, album art transfer via the AMI Lightning™ cable is not supported due to potential system performance issues. This feature has only been disabled with the yellow grommet cable when used in conjunction with the MIB High system (with or without Audi Connect). (However, in MIB High, album art is stored on the internal MMI hard drive in the Gracenote database. Therefore, album art for some albums may be displayed from the hard drive when the yellow grommet cable is used if the album art is stored in the Gracenote database).

If the customer would like to retain the album art transfer via the cable, the customer must use the red grommet cable and the official Apple 30-pin to 8-pin Lightning™ adapter (Figure 4). (Aftermarket 30-pin to 8-pin adapters are not guaranteed to work and often have incorrect firmware.)

WARRANTY

This TSB is informational only and not applicable to any Audi warranty.

MMI system software and firmware updates or parts replacement are not covered under warranty.

REQUIRED PARTS AND TOOLS

Part Number	Part Description	Quantity
4F0051510L	30-pin AMI cable with a black grommet	As needed
4F0051510AG	30-pin AMI cable with a blue grommet	As needed
4F0051510AJ	30-pin AMI cable with a red grommet	As needed
4F0051510AC	8-pin AMI cable with a white grommet	As needed
4F0051510AL	8-pin AMI cable with a yellow grommet	As needed
4F0051510AM	8-pin AMI cable with a yellow grommet packaged with an additional USB female AMI Cable	As needed
4F0051510M	Male Micro USB AMI cable with a black grommet	As needed
4F0051510Q	Regular Female USB AMI cable with a black grommet	As needed

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional AMI related Service Bulletins related to potential customer complaints:

• TSB 2016513 Audi Music Interface (AMI): iPod-related complaints. 
• TSB 2018131Audi Music Interface (AMI): Use of iPhone 
• TSB 2033780MMI3G+ Videos cannot be played via AMI with new "I" devices 

All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2038824) are subject to change and/or removal. Always check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.