Infotainment Dial failure
 

Has anyone had any problems with the main (large) infotainment dial stop working? It was working fine, then I tried to figure out how to get the clock to change with daylight savings time (it still is an hour off), and now the dial won't change anything at all. This means the A/C fan runs all the time since I can't dial it down to the off position. All other buttons and dials are working fine.

Suggestions?

Paul

Nobody else has had this issue?? I can't believe I have stumped this forum with a question. I am finding more and more things this main dial controls. I can't raise and lower the suspension, can't stiffen or soften the suspension, change the sound system settings etc. Frustrating.

Try pressing and holding the RESET button for more than 15 seconds.

Thanks for the idea. The screen went blank for a few seconds then came back on, but the dial still isn't responding to anything.

Assuming you are able to rotate the knob somewhat (i.e. it is not frozen) the only other thing I can think of (before delving into the electro/mechanical aspects of this "smart" knob) is to disconnect your batteries. Start with the right hand small (starter) battery and remove the negative terminal. Then go to the large (left side looking at the rear) battery and disconnect the negative terminal. Wait one minute and then reverse the process to connect the batteries. Your car will need some time to reset some features (i.e. trunk lock). Wait about 10 minutes for reset and then try the knob on the infotainment again. You may need to reset your driver and passenger windows. If you PM me, I can provide instructions.

What year is your car?

Yes the dial spins, it is not frozen. When I get home from work I will disconnect the batteries and hook them up again. Should I start the car once they are reconnected and things will reset or just connecting them and waiting 10-20 minutes is enough? it is an 04.

There shouldn't be a need to restart the car after the disconnect/reconnect to test the electronics, but it never hurts to make sure your car will start. :D

When you say the knob spins, do you mean it "freewheels" (i.e. no resistance to rotation)? If the knob freewheels, a locking grub screw may be loose.

It turns but there is resistance, just like normal if you were to say adjust the fan speed.

How did you make out with the battery disconnect protocol? Any change in the control knob of the Infotainment head?

After the battery reconnect I now have a vehicle height (suspension) warning on the dash along with the ESP warning light. I have put the battery on a charger in case it was low and will take the car out for a 20-30 min drive when I get the chance to see if the lights will go off. The dial still didn't work after the reset.

If that doesn't work I will make the the batteries are full and try the disconnect again and see if that does the trick.

Both of those lights should go out when you drive about a block. If the dial doesn't work now (after the 15 second reset and the battery disconnect), you will have to dig deeper. Do you have a diag computer (preferably a VAS 5054A)?

Both lights went out after moving about 10 feet. I have a v-checker V-202, but not the 5054A.

Does your scanner show any errors?

I will share with you what I have learned about the Infotainment head:

1. I have found a company that may be able to repair your unit: http://us.shop.bba-reman.com/.
2. The unit is year specific. That is to say that an 05 head will possibly not work in an 04 (due to upgrades, etc.) There are software changes within each model year. If a used head of the same model year is sourced, it may not be a plug/play as your car may require different software. 04 & 05 use part# 3W0035008.
3. In some cases (where the part number is identical), it may be possible to re-programme a used replacement head. My local Bentley dealer charges $350.00 (Cdn) for this. They caution that they "may" be able to programme (no guarantee that it will work)
4. A new replacement head is about $8,000.00 (Cdn)!!!
5. Although the VW Phaeton head looks similar to the Bentley, I am told it will not work in the Bentley.

The V202 is a useful tool but not exactly user friendly! You have to scan each control module individually for codes. So far I haven't found any codes/errors related to navigation/radio/entertainment center. I probably need to invest in a better scan tool. 8k for a replacement unit is crazy! I might have to live without being able to adjust some features on the car at that price. I wonder if I could pull the existing unit out, and make sure all the connections are clean and solid.