# Sounds vs Audi Drive



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

Does anyone else need to re-select their individual mode via Audi Drive after starting up their car. In order to get the dynamic sound?

Despite the car being left in individual mode (sound: dynamic) from last time I drove.

When I go to Audi Drive select. It shows that its in individual mode (engine sound set to dynamic). But no dynamic sound is coming out.

Unless I double press on individual mode (which was already selected). Then I can hear the dynamic sound kicking in.


----------



## base86 (Nov 20, 2019)

I believe this is normal behavior with Audi's. There are some special devices you can buy to keep the flaps in your exhaust open. A cold start will remember your individual settings but won't open the flaps. You need to cycle between the modes to do so.

For a friend of mine I've changed the startup mode to "auto" so he only need to press drive select twice instead of cycling the whole list.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

But that's ridiculous!
Why doesn't it remember its last used mode? Or at least why doesn't it remember that in some modes (dynamic or individual+dynamic sound) it needs to open the flaps!?

I mean it does kinda. I will remember the Auto or Efficiency modes.

Its the individual one that it just bugs out on.

Question is. What mode is it in even though it shows in the Audi Drive menu like it still is in the last selected mode you choose yesterday.


Plus it takes ages for you to be able to use Audi Drive modes once the engine starts. Mine takes 10 seconds at least to react to my Audi Drive button pressing before it gives me the menu after cold start.


----------



## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

This is the same across all VAG cars for as long as I've ever had one with a sport button or profile selector.

It's done for economy/cold start reasons. It reverts to Auto/Efficiency (depending on the model).


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

The strange thing is.
That tomorrow when I start the car. Press the Audi Drive button. It will show that its in individual mode. (As if it remembers my last choice). Except for the sound.

Does the flap/valve dynamic sound appear after few minutes of drive, once it warms up?
(Never tried it. I only waited to re-select it before I started driving)

P.s- would mind this much if the Audi Drive button wasn't unresponsive until the whole MMI has initialized (nav, media...) and then some. But having to wait for 15seconds to be able to access the Audi Drive is just dumb.


----------



## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

No, that's the point. The mode always says what you left it in. The exhaust flaps do not go back to that mode. You *have* to cycle the drive select to really put it back in that mode.

This has come up loads of times on multiple forums I'm on. The conclusion is always that most of us just get used to cycling the mode on every start. It becomes muscle memory in the end :lol:

Otherwise, pony up serious cash for one of the after market controllers.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

Aha ok I see.
Well f-me Hahaha.
Im rly starting go regret my decision of choosing this car/brand over BMW 4 or C Class coupe.
They weren't fast. But at least I wasn't so set on maximising my exhaust sound and sporty driving experience like Im doing here. 
(The reason being that bmw and merc have awful sounding 4 cylinders. So I wouldn't have bothered. Audi on the other hand knows how to make a nice sounding 4 cyl)


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

Also phazer,
How soon can you access the Audi Drive menu once you start it up?

I counted now, 15+ seconds. It needs to fully initialize MMI and then few seconds more.

I wouldn't mind having to cycle between modes every drive. But having to wait 15seconds is just stupid design.


----------



## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

captainhero17 said:


> Also phazer,
> How soon can you access the Audi Drive menu once you start it up?
> 
> I counted now, 15+ seconds. It needs to fully initialize MMI and then few seconds more.
> ...


My TTS wasn't that slow but what I will say is the time differs depending on how long the car has been left. If it has gone fully to sleep it was longer but a few hours it was available immediately.

That said, on a cold start in a morning it was only ever a few seconds before it responded. It didn't always show in the VC but it was changing mode. The only issue I had was sometimes the "*" button on the wheel didn't do anything - I ha this set to drive select.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

phazer said:


> 1. My TTS wasn't that slow but what I will say is the time differs depending on how long the car has been left. If it has gone fully to sleep it was longer but a few hours it was available immediately.
> 
> 2. That said, on a cold start in a morning it was only ever a few seconds before it responded. It didn't always show in the VC but it was changing mode. The only issue I had was sometimes the "*" button on the wheel didn't do anything - I ha this set to drive select.


1. Yeah same. It takes ages when cold start. But if I turn it on again after say 10 minutes it will be almost instant (but not like yours where the VC cache was good for few hours). I tried to update my MMI firmware 2 years ago. Thinking that it would help. But it didnt speed up or sharpen the response time or booting up times. 

2. Yeah I heard that programming " * " button can lead to it not responding during start up and you having to use dedicated Audi Drive button. (I always use console dedicated button).

Man I try, I mash the button while it is booting up. But the modes are definitely not changing! 
What does the button mashing Audi Drive do for me is actually extend time that it takes for VC to open the drive mode menu.

Same how you mash double click to open a program while you pc is booting. So instead of opening it, the program just freezes and takes even longer to open. Than it would if you just simply waited for the OS to boot. [smiley=bigcry.gif]


----------



## base86 (Nov 20, 2019)

You can program your drive select to always start in auto, that way you won't have to cycle all the modes.
And if you are really annoyed enough, you can always buy:
https://www.k-electronic-shop.de/AUDI/A ... e-AVC.html

But they don't come cheap


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

base86 said:


> You can program your drive select to always start in auto, that way you won't have to cycle all the modes.
> And if you are really annoyed enough, you can always buy:
> https://www.k-electronic-shop.de/AUDI/A ... e-AVC.html
> 
> But they don't come cheap


Says its not compatible for TT 8S models (I have tt 8s model). 
But yes this would solve the problem. Hahaha
Thanks


----------



## kevin#34 (Jan 8, 2019)

it says not compatible for TT*S *models, but good for TT...


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

Nope, 
The link leads to the part suitable for TTS. It even says in the title of the product "*AUDI TTS 8S Klappenauspuffanlage *Steuerung per drive select AVC mit SSAM"

also in bold below it says
NICHT passend für AUDI TT 8S Modelle (für diese bitte die Artikelnr.: 17275 verwenden).

There is a version for regular TT. But its the 17275 product. 

Im just going to try to activate sounaktor to 100% and use one click app for permanent exhaust flap. It basically deactivates the cars ability to regulate it on its own, and leaves it permanently open or close depending on its state before you used the OBD11 app to deactivate it.


----------



## Blade Runner (Feb 16, 2018)

captainhero17 said:


> Aha ok I see.
> Well f-me Hahaha.
> Im rly starting go regret my decision of choosing this car/brand over BMW 4 or C Class coupe.
> They weren't fast. But at least I wasn't so set on maximising my exhaust sound and sporty driving experience like Im doing here.
> (The reason being that bmw and merc have awful sounding 4 cylinders. So I wouldn't have bothered. Audi on the other hand knows how to make a nice sounding 4 cyl)


The problem isn't confirmed to Audi. I suspect it is the same across most VAG cars (I had the same issue with my Golf R) and a quick google search revealed a post on Audiworld by the owner of a BMW X5d who was thinking of switching to a Q7 :-? . Anyway, he was complaining about his BMW defaulting to comfort mode every time the car was turned off, and he was asking whether the Q7 did the same. The answer was Yes, basically.

The thing that seems to particularly annoy Audi owners is that Audi say absolutely nothing about this need to 'reset' dynamic mode on startup, so owners often have the cars for years without realising! :roll: Maybe BMW are just as bad, I don't know. As said, it is all apparently to do with having the car start up in the most economical mode, so it can get close to the rated fuel economy. Don't ask me why (some owners don't give a toss about mpg), as no-one seems to know. Its all a bit _Big Brother_ (that's from the book "1984" btw, not the shite reality TV programme).


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

Blade Runner said:


> The problem isn't confirmed to Audi. I suspect it is the same across most VAG cars (I had the same issue with my Golf R) and a quick google search revealed a post on Audiworld by the owner of a BMW X5d who was thinking of switching to a Q7 :-? . Anyway, he was complaining about his BMW defaulting to comfort mode every time the car was turned off, and he was asking whether the Q7 did the same. The answer was Yes, basically.
> 
> The thing that seems to particularly annoy Audi owners is that Audi say absolutely nothing about this need to 'reset' dynamic mode on startup, so owners often have the cars for years without realising! :roll: Maybe BMW are just as bad, I don't know. As said, it is all apparently to do with having the car start up in the most economical mode, so it can get close to the rated fuel economy. Don't ask me why (some owners don't give a toss about mpg), as no-one seems to know. Its all a bit _Big Brother_ (that's from the book "1984" btw, not the shite reality TV programme).


Hi BladeRunner 
Nice observation. I suspect all VAG cars are cursed with the same "software and logistics" across the board. I wouldn't be surprised if BMW and Merc had the same issues. As for the MPG I never understood why VAG or any other car manufacturer didnt think that people who want to have the car permanently in sport mode maybe as you put it...."dont give a toss about mpg". So let them have it. 

If the MMI was booting any quicker and Audi Drive button didnt feel like a retrofit feature (due to delays in how quick can it open the drive mode menu + the dead unresponsiveness during booting up of MMI) we wouldn't mind having to switch back to our preferred modes.

Also, my comment about regret and Audi vs my other choices BMW 4 and C -Coupe were not based on: Audi sucks. Mercedes and BMW dont have this problem. I meant that the BMW 4 and the C-coupe I was looking for were all weak diesel engines and low power petrols.
I was looking at C180 (156hp) and 220d (177hp). Those are not sport cars or anythig exciting to write about comparing to even basic 1.8 TT in terms of performance.

But I was juggling between comfortable classy coupe or something small and angry.
Guess what I chose D

I wouldn't care this much if I took the C coupe. Because its "sport mode" in diesel engine would be laughable and probably never used. 
Like many forum members here. We are all compelled to extract the maximum out of this model. Its magical actually.


----------



## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

captainhero17 said:


> Hi BladeRunner
> Nice observation. I suspect all VAG cars are cursed with the same "software and logistics" across the board.


I said they were earlier in the thread :lol:

I've had multiple cars in the group and every single one has been the same.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

I wrote my last comment wrong. 
I meant I too suspect that all VAG cars have the same problem.
I am agreeing and believing your statement.
Dont worry I read every comment to the end


----------



## chelspeed (May 6, 2017)

It's not something the suppliers choose to do just to annoy you. It's part of the rules imposed by the various authorities on car makers. So yes it will be the same for all car makers. There are a number of tests the suppliers have to do, noise, mpg among them.

These tests have to be done in the worst case settings. So if you can permanently choose a noisy setting for the exhaust flaps then that's how they need to test the cars. But the suppliers need to pass the tests to sell the cars. So they set the noise options to all reset when you turn it off and on again. Then they get to do the tests with the noise option off, they pass the test and sell the cars to you.

Manufacturers also need to meet average fuel consumption figures across the range. So sports modes all reset before the consumption tests so the tests are in economy mode and official figures are better and they can continue to sell the top of the range thirsty models alongside the mundane.

So you could have the car stay in noisy mode but it will have to be quiet enough to pass noise tests. You can have a car that stays in sport but it will have to be emasculated so it is more economical even in sport.

Personally I'm pleased the suppliers have given us a noisy mode and a sport mode and if I have to select it again each time I start the car that's not such a big deal to me and a small price to pay.

So if you're unhappy aim your venom at the tree hugging enviromentalists who have such control of the legislators. Don't have a dig at the car makers who are doing their creative best to work around the more ridiculous rules.

Best not mention dieselgate which I personally thought was very clever but in hindsight pushed creative work rounds a bit too far towards deliberate cheating.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

chelspeed

Its all true what you say. I think its also hypocritical for europe to be forced in to extreme taxes and emissions (co2 per g) and drive 1.0EcoBoost when an average soccer mom in USA drives a 3.0V6 (chunking co2 per g like a sherman tank).

However!
Audi (and VW behind them) have to be shamed for cheaping out yet again on weak hardware that cant boot smoothly their own in house made operating system (MMI). How many years they had the MMI OS? They could have perfected it and optimized it with hardware they already use by now.

I wouldn't mind having to re select my drive mode every time I start. Problem is it isnt that easy nor quick to do.

Coming back to my previous comment where I said that Audi Drive is not categorised as primary/core function and boots in the same manner and on same hardware like rest of the MMI. Instead of being booted along with speedo and rmp meter.

So you are stuck sitting there belted up waiting for 15 seconds (or more if you were dumb enough to press the drive select button while MMI was booting), looking and feeling like a tool.
Its also counter safety when you think about it. You are not likely going to wait idly for the modes to boot up. So you do what? start driving. And then fiddle with the modes while driving (something they even advised against in their own manualls).

So in conclusion, yes emission tree huggers are annoying as hell and car manufacturers have to abide (somewhere less and somewhere more...ahem HEMI...ahem V8 minivan). But putting all the eco crap aside. We are buying premium cars with premium prices. Sold to us with hardware that is already outdated when it launches and incapable to work with their own already matured software.
Take Apple for example (they made their OS so perfectly smooth on any piece of their tech...why because they control and develop it and optimise it themselves...). While Android has to fit on Asus, Samsung, HTC, Huawei and quite understandably struggles to be 100% optimised for any of them.


----------



## Mark Pred (Feb 1, 2017)

Please clarify this for me (I don't need War & Peace on it)&#8230; my cars are set up in Individual, with the Engine Sound in Dynamic. That has never changed, they remain in Dynamic every time I use them. Same with my 16 plate TTS, a Golf R and the RS3 I had before that.

Some of you are claiming the Engine Sound does not remain in Dynamic; so why do the cars I have owned stay in Dynamic for the Engine Sound within my Individual set-up? QED, are you telling me that it's not in Dynamic, even though the Drive Select within Individual display says it is? That would be bollocks right? Why would the display give a false reading...

Appreciate an explanation, because most of what's written above comes across as conjecture, rather than fact. Thanks.


----------



## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

Mark Pred said:


> Please clarify this for me (I don't need War & Peace on it)&#8230; my cars are set up in Individual, with the Engine Sound in Dynamic. That has never changed, they remain in Dynamic every time I use them. Same with my 16 plate TTS, a Golf R and the RS3 I had before that.
> 
> Some of you are claiming the Engine Sound does not remain in Dynamic; so why do the cars I have owned stay in Dynamic for the Engine Sound within my Individual set-up? QED, are you telling me that it's not in Dynamic, even though the Drive Select within Individual display says it is? That would be bollocks right? Why would the display give a false reading...
> 
> Appreciate an explanation, because most of what's written above comes across as conjecture, rather than fact. Thanks.


The display does remain in the mode you selected but it does not reflect what is happening. The display is telling lies.

It's a design decision taken by VAG technical. They could have had the UI reset as well (it isn't an impossible software problem) but for whatever reason they decided against it - perhaps to stop customers without a clue from complaining that their car resets everytime they get in it :lol:

As an aside on the TTS, the noise and engine performance is not the same when setting dynamic in individual as in full fat dynamic mode. You want all of it, you have to use dynamic.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

True phazer,

I think it has to do something with

Individual with dynamic sound (in D-mode)
- only sound actuator is on

Dynamic mode (in S-mode transmission)
- sound actuator + exhaust flap OPEN

Basically the flaps are open in S mode. Not in D mode.
Hence why the sound is best at full Dynamic (because then you get sound enhanced by 2 things actuator + open flaps). Instead of just actuator in Individual (D-mode)

*Also MarkPred,*
What Phazer wrote. THE DISPLAY IS LYING TO YOU! 
Your car has been faking it with you for years now! :lol:


----------



## kevin#34 (Jan 8, 2019)

to have flaps always open, try this coding!

*Unit 01
Coding
Byte 9
disable Bit 2*



captainhero17 said:


> True phazer,
> 
> I think it has to do something with
> 
> ...


----------



## smh (Jun 27, 2017)

Mark Pred said:


> Please clarify this for me (I don't need War & Peace on it)&#8230; my cars are set up in Individual, with the Engine Sound in Dynamic. That has never changed, they remain in Dynamic every time I use them. Same with my 16 plate TTS, a Golf R and the RS3 I had before that.
> 
> Some of you are claiming the Engine Sound does not remain in Dynamic; so why do the cars I have owned stay in Dynamic for the Engine Sound within my Individual set-up? QED, are you telling me that it's not in Dynamic, even though the Drive Select within Individual display says it is? That would be bollocks right? Why would the display give a false reading...
> 
> Appreciate an explanation, because most of what's written above comes across as conjecture, rather than fact. Thanks.


When I changed from a 2016 TT to a 2019 TT (both 2.0 s-line, although the 2019 is quattro) I found the same issue. In the 2016 car the mode set would remain set until I manually changed it. In the 2019 car you can set Sport and it would behave fully in sport mode but when you started the car again the engine sound would be back set to Dynamic levels but it would still display as Sport. The same is also true of the economy setting. In economy it shows a large E and it doesn't do engine braking when coasting downhill unless you manually brake. After starting the car it still shows economy at the bottom of the screen but the large E no longer appears it now shows D and engine braking is back.

I brought this up with my dealer and didn't get very far. It would appear that in 2019 cars, probably due to a software change since the 2016 car, when you select a mode it has persistent and non-persistent aspects, after the car is switched off some of these, like the noise and engine braking etc, are reset back to defaults. To enable them after you start the car you have to reselect the mode you want.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

kevin#34 said:


> to have flaps always open, try this coding!
> 
> *Unit 01
> Coding
> ...


Thanks kevin!
I will save this just in case. 
But OBDeleven has this as "one touch app" - the always open flaps. (Its basically what you wrote. Except the OBDeleven does all the coding for you. You just have to press to confirm that you want this feature enabled). Its sort of like a already coded template ready to be used.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

smh said:


> Mark Pred said:
> 
> 
> > Please clarify this for me (I don't need War & Peace on it)&#8230; my cars are set up in Individual, with the Engine Sound in Dynamic. That has never changed, they remain in Dynamic every time I use them. Same with my 16 plate TTS, a Golf R and the RS3 I had before that.
> ...


See thats strange.
I can vouche that if Im in Economy mode. That this is the only mode that is the same regardless if you just activated it or left the car for 2 days and then started it again.

Eco mode is the only one I dont have to re-select!! I always get high gearing and coasting.
I cant say the same for other modes though. So like phazer and chelspeed said, its all due to economy and emissions bs.


----------



## credy68 (Nov 1, 2019)

something not inline with exhaust flaps does the mode setting hold back bhp when you floor it?as far as performance it just seems to alter accelerator response?
back to exhaust flaps to open them up is the only way to put gearbox in s mode whatever the setting in drive mode?


----------



## revulike (Jun 15, 2018)

Curious. My 2015 TT has the exhaust flap always open. Sat on drive, open. Driving, open.
Does that mean my car has been "coded"?

Same issue with drive select as everyone else. The soundaktor is off to begin with, whatever is selected, and has to be activated every start.


----------



## cliveju (Jun 27, 2018)

I get Sport mode when I need it by pulling back the gearstick which is fine, I think.


----------



## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

cliveju said:


> I get Sport mode when I need it by pulling back the gearstick which is fine, I think.


(Transmission S mode) does not give the same sound as (Transmission S mode + Audi Drive Dynamic mode).

Thats the whole issue.
Not only does you car regress from S mode do D mode when you turn off and then on the engine. But also the Drive modes are reset. Regardless of what the Audi Drive interface is telling you


----------

