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2012 RNS-850, HD Radio stations all in mono, not stereo

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Discussion starter · #141 ·
xylene said:
This is going to be very expensive for VW... Based on your info, 4G0 035 080 D is the radio/amp in the rear cargo area.

It is a part that outside of the dealership would cost around $1300.

Tac on about two hours for labor.
Click to expand...
Yep, the work order says they had to go into that rear panel. I also know the VW regional tech spent many hours troubleshooting the fault codes on the new module before finding out they needed an SVM update. It was another week before Germany made that update available and the whole thing could finally be declared fixed.

It's possible they swapped the entire unit for expedience in resolving my complaint: Just swap the whole unit with a working one and be done with it. Anyway my impression is this issue can't be fixed by software alone.

EDIT: Actually the work order does say "Replace radio with unit supplied by QTM" (Quality Technical Manager)
 
#142 ·
Dave,
Thanks for your effort! I’ve previously stated that the HD radio issue does not concern me too much, and it is still so, but your comment about EQ behaving very differently after the upgrade (in different thread) was convincing enough to start playing with the Service Department. I’ve sent all info that you posted related to the HD radio problem to my dealer today (names removed). They have not heard about this issue – at least yet. I’ll see what they’ll say after learning about this problem solution.
Regards, CC.
 
Discussion starter · #143 ·
VWoA followed up with me today to make sure the issue is fully resolved to my satisfaction. I thanked them for intervening where Service had let me down.

The takeaway is VW is a huge multinational company. Sometimes the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
 
Discussion starter · #145 ·
Another member PM'd me that he's getting the fix this week. Hope to hear some followup.

Anyone who's curious about HD Radio in general should check out the $50 Insignia NS-HDRAD tabletop radio sold by Best Buy. It works surprisingly well. It has conventional analog FM and digital HD Radio tuners (no AM). Tunes in HD-2 & HD-3 sub channels too if present.

http://www.insigniaproducts.com/products/portable-audio-players/NS-HDRAD.html

Low risk for just $50. :)
 
#146 ·
Eugene-Dave,

My Service Advisor has informed me that the replacement module will be arriving this weekend. We’ve scheduled an appointment to do replacement next Thursday (10/11). The Service Advisor did admit that he knows not what exactly this replacement module is – he thinks that this will be an entire replacement of the Infotainment System, but he isn’t sure for certain. So he could not tell me if I will lose music stored on my HD or not (10GB at the least). Where is HD anyway? Your post says that the work was done in the rear panel, and this tells me that the Infotainment System will not be replaced, but only its guts responsible for HD radio and amplifier. Where is the HD located?

Thanks!
 
Discussion starter · #147 ·
ConservativeConsumer said:
Eugene-Dave,

My Service Advisor has informed me that the replacement module will be arriving this weekend. We’ve scheduled an appointment to do replacement next Thursday (10/11). The Service Advisor did admit that he knows not what exactly this replacement module is – he thinks that this will be an entire replacement of the Infotainment System, but he isn’t sure for certain. So he could not tell me if I will lose music stored on my HD or not (10GB at the least). Where is HD anyway? Your post says that the work was done in the rear panel, and this tells me that the Infotainment System will not be replaced, but only its guts responsible for HD radio and amplifier. Where is the HD located?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
According to my service work order it was a module and the SVM update. It didn't affect my stored nav data or anything. The module is in that right-rear panel. I don't think they touched anything else, like in the dash.

Before and after VAGCOM dumps confirm the change was Module 56.

Good luck! Work with the dealer as a partner in this. They generally want to help but they don't always have all the info they should. Let us know what happens. And if they don't fix it, PM me.

Dave
 
#148 ·
Thanks!
I am sure my dealer is more than capable to fix this thing. They are one of the best VW and Audi dealers in the country. Their BMW department has been recognized as one of the best in the world - so they are good people and they do very good job. I'll let you know about results. What has impressed me is that they did take your video evidence and asked no questions about if I can produce my own evidence (which I was ready to do) and got the VW replacement approval in a couple of days.:)
 
#154 ·
Eugene-Dave is the author of this effort and the achiever of successful problem's resolution. PM to him, if you will. But, generally speaking, you have all info you need in the thread post #129 and video in post #121.
P.S. I've done my HD radio repair last week.
 
Discussion starter · #158 ·
Here's the executive summary:

My 2012 Touareg Lux TDI has the RNS-850 radio/nav system. The RNS-850 supports "HD Radio", which is basically a digital evolution of regular analog FM radio. HD Radio provides "near-CD quality sound", when it's working correctly.

HD Radio | What is HD Radio? | More Music. More Stations. More Features. Digital Sound. No Subscription.

My Touareg, and several other 2012 Touaregs I tried, could not play any HD Radio stations in stereo. They would only play in mono. Worse, the right channel audio was completely missing from the playback. Only the left channel information was present, but being played through all the speakers.

I made a video using an oscilloscope to visually demonstrate the severity of the HD Radio audio problem:


I believe this problem affects every 2011 & 2012 Touareg equipped with the RNS-850. I haven't confirmed it on the 2013 model.

The solution to the problem is replacement of Module 56, and an SVM Update. The new Module 56 that I got has a different part number from the original one. That new part number is: "4G0 035 080 D". I think the original module with the defective HD Radio tuner was "4G0 035 082 A" but don't quote me on that yet.

As noted, in addition to the new Module 56, the dealer has to perform an SVM update: Software Version Management. Only the dealer can do this. You can't use VAG-COM.

After the new Module 56 was installed and the SVM update applied, my HD Radio tuner now plays in stereo like it's supposed to.

Here's a VAGCOM dump of the module data after the fix:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday,14,September,2012,18:52:02:63709
VCDS Version: Release 11.11.4
Data version: 20120807
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 56: Radio
Control Module Part Number: 4G0 035 080 D
Component and/or Version: Radio U SIRIU H60 0112
Software Coding: 020007020100000001
Work Shop Code: WSC xxxxx
VCID: 1F4D56AF0E4501E038F

Advanced Identification
Serial number: 158GY0C750xxxx
Identification: JTB-074
Revision: AB001007
Date: 30.07.12
Manufacturer number: 0008
Test stand number: 079B
Flash Status
Programming Attempts(data): 1
Successful Attempts(data): 1
Flash Tool Code(data): 90316 444 23048
Software
MOST Net: 02.01.07
TP 2.0: 02.04.05
Unknown: 02.02.03
Theft prot.: 03.02.03
Misc.
Hardware number: 4G0 035 080
Workshop System Name: R
Equipment/PR Code: 0000000000000000
VCDS Info:
Labels: REDIR FAIL!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 56: Radio (R) Labels: Redir Fail!
Part No SW: 4G0 035 080 D HW: 4G0 035 080
Component: Radio U SIRIU H60 0112
Revision: AB001007 Serial number: 158GY0C750xxxx
Coding: 020007020100000001
Shop #: WSC xxxxx
VCID: 1F4D56AF0E4501E038F

No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At this time, I don't know if VW has issued a TSB or some other official acknowledgment of the problem. If someone has the TSB number that would be a big help to other Touareg owners for getting this fixed.

This problem also affects some Audis. Their radio probably comes from the same supplier. I have not read of any Audi owners being able to get this fixed yet.

Hope that helps.
 
#159 ·
Thanks! I have given to my dealer. No rush.
 
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#160 ·
Not a problem on my 2013

Well, after reading this thread, I decided to take a listen in my 2013 TDI Lux. I was unsure at first as I was having trouble finding the right song, then Tin Lizzy's song "The Boys are Back in Town" helped me verify that my vehicle does not have this problem! "The boys are back in town" - clearly out of the left speaker, then "The boys are back in town" clearly out of the right speaker. Repeated once again. The HD Radio light was lit bright white the entire time.

I am glad I won't have to be working with the dealer to get this fixed on my new Treg. Anyone looking for a reason to get a 2013 over a 2012 - here is one!

Any more 2013 owners out there just to confirm it is fixed in all of the 2013s?
 
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