I was about to download the trial of 2 of the available Functions on Demand when it occurred to me I better notify my insurance company. Despite explaining how the system operates and that necessary hardware is on the vehicle they regard it as a modification and refuse to cover them. I am sure many will argue that I should have just done it and not informed them, but, in the event of a large claim and the resultant forensic analysis of the car’s software the functions might be revealed. Any thoughts/experience?
Functions on Demand - insurance implications
- Thread starter Klin 42
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Considering FOD are usually safety related they should offer you a reduction in your premium for activating them. I think not!
I think you did the right thing. There are a lot of owners I read of on here lowering their cars, adding spacers, changing steering wheels etc and they are all mods so would assume insurers should be notified. I’m all for mods, but there is always the hidden cost of increasing the insurance to cover it. I’d rather play safe, but then I am a Project Manager and constantly assessing risk lol , plus it’s a lot of money to lose if your non insured mod was discovered.
Would be surprised if Audi had not considered any insurance implications before introducing FOD and I wonder if the person at your insurance company doesn’t understand what FOD is/ does.
Adding aftermarket parts / changing key components that alter the oem spec is completely different to applying a manufactures software update which doesn’t change the manufactures build specification of the car and just enables additional features which per the post above are typically safety related - for example the cost of replacing a led headlight would be the same irrespective of whether it had matrix functionality or not. If the insurance company did a forensic examine of the software it would only find genuine Audi oem code.
Assuming you decide to purchase the additional FOD functionality for the life of the car, would you advertise / declare it as modified when you come to sell it or would you just include these in the list of features on the car? I can’t see the difference here to selecting different options when you originally purchase a car.
Personally I’d go back to your insurance company and have another chat to them if your that worried
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Which insurance company?
As stated above FoD does no make the car more attractive to thieves, alter the performance, so I can’t see why the insured risk would change.
A vehicle originally spec’d with any FoD is still in the same category as one without afaik so it should make no difference.
I would only declare if I modified the engine, exhaust etc.
As stated above FoD does no make the car more attractive to thieves, alter the performance, so I can’t see why the insured risk would change.
A vehicle originally spec’d with any FoD is still in the same category as one without afaik so it should make no difference.
I would only declare if I modified the engine, exhaust etc.
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I generally agree that FOD doesn’t sound like a modification that would impact insurance. But, then again, it’s also not available via official Audi U.K. channels (based on posts to this forum). Bearing in mind that it is an income opportunity for Audi, I’m wondering if there is a reason for it not yet being officially available on U.K. cars?
I activated the trial speed sign FOD....it was 1 euro and lasted 30 days....when it expired my google maps went with it!!!...even the tab to change it in the map settings had gone!.... I ordered this through Audi Germany, simply by following the instructions. I have the A3 Edition one so it has many of the features already present. but I recently got hit with a speed awareness course at the cost of £90.
I took the car into Audi Plymouth...they could not fix the issue!!!....The car then went to Audi Exeter, after 7 hours of waiting they also said they could not fix it!!...then I was onto Audi Uk....they said for the car to go back to Audi Exeter....after keeping the car for 8 days I was told that the car needed a new 5f module!...but they were not sure if that was the issue, it just needed to be tested, they said they had another A3 that they could remove the module from and test it in my car....at a cost of £625! and if it is the module then its a further £3000!!!....I said it was a new car and they said.....because I used the FOD outside of the UK, when the car reset itself back to its pre-trial state it loaded german software!!!!!....everything in the car is in English!....they said because I changed the software of the car then the warranty is not valid!!!!!!...I said I have not done anything, Audi loaded the FOD not me.......so they gave me the car back without google maps, and low data on the wifi.....next step is an formal complaint about this as its a joke....£3600 to put the maps back!!!!!...I said why not just flash the software, they just wanted to pull the MMi out and put anothert in for £625 labor!!!!!....it is one 8mm screw and a cable to pull out.....he then said his engineer had to do the software....AUDI customer support is total ****...I sat there the first time in the showroom for 7 hours watching reps dashing out taking money from the over 60`s for a service....£300 a time and I must have seen at least 12 people book in....they dont care about customers, they care about money.......I have re ordered the FOD again from Ireland hoping the car would revert to Irish software...stayed the same.....how can Audi claim I loaded software when its done by them remotely!!!!.......
Sh*t state of affairs, thats shocking.
There is nothing that specifically says you cannot use FOD from another country, not that i could find anyway, just that you must abide by that countries laws inport, export, tax etc.
I have done the same as you by using the trial from ireland initially then after it expiring renewing again, I currently have FOD from Luxenburg and Italy.
When you say google maps do you mean the satellite veiw? My satellite view stopped for a few days but returned, i believe there was an issue with the user account and not the car as it is working again, unless you mean something different?
i also lost the tab for received destinations No4 on the picture, again this returned after a day or two
I cannot correlate when the sat veiw thing happened on my car it could of been when it ended but i just dont remember.
I suspect Audi is just doing there upmost to avoid paying out on a warannty claim and blame you.
Good luck with getting this resolved!
There are lots of people in this position so keep us updated
There is nothing that specifically says you cannot use FOD from another country, not that i could find anyway, just that you must abide by that countries laws inport, export, tax etc.
I have done the same as you by using the trial from ireland initially then after it expiring renewing again, I currently have FOD from Luxenburg and Italy.
When you say google maps do you mean the satellite veiw? My satellite view stopped for a few days but returned, i believe there was an issue with the user account and not the car as it is working again, unless you mean something different?
i also lost the tab for received destinations No4 on the picture, again this returned after a day or two
I cannot correlate when the sat veiw thing happened on my car it could of been when it ended but i just dont remember.
I suspect Audi is just doing there upmost to avoid paying out on a warannty claim and blame you.
Good luck with getting this resolved!
There are lots of people in this position so keep us updated
I have the basic map view, The google maps has gone, and with it the tab in settings to change to sat maps or basic.....I did nothing to the car, the trial run out and a few days later the maps were gone! I had the car in for a service at Plymouth Audi, they did the usual but also changed two modules in the car, they said at the time one module was for the lane assist the other was a service module....I asked about these changes and could they have impacted the loss of the maps, Audi have no work record of these modules!!!!!.....They are being a real pain in the rear.......What is annoying is I told them about the FOD and now they are using that against me to avoid repairing the car.....I wont give up this and expect Audi to resolve this issue, 3 months the car has been like it now, so no overnight return!...I wish they would leave the car alone.
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Another point to consider, if you add the options on demand to your car and you haven’t done it via the UK app, in other words you’ve told the app you are in Germany, and something goes wrong, it will render your warranty void.
Utter balderdash…….
I used the German site for Adaptive cruise assist. Recently had an MMI issue and had to reset the MMI, but the FOD said it had expired, contacted Audi digital services and they sorted it out, they even knew it was purchased on the German My Audi, not a problem they said, it was back on the day after.
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Yeah, until there’s a problem then they will likely change their tune. This is Audi digital services, not the dealer who is, as we know, likely to try everything to get out of sorting your issue. Buyer beware I say.
The FOD is the future of all Audi’s.
The cars are being built with the hardware already there, when an owner fancies an upgrade it’s designed to be just that, an upgrade, it’s essentially a licence that’s activated, like when purchasing Apple CarPlay / Android auto.
There’s nothing underhand about it.
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Tell Audi1966 a couple of messages up that. He’s having issues with his dealer for the exact same reason. Assume there will be no warranty get out clauses for a dealer once it’s activated in the uk.
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O/T when I was insured with Admiral they want to know what optional extra's you picked from the factory! To rub salt in they didn't even have half of them on their system when I called!
TX.
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TX.
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Dealers are totally clueless…… it’s a function already in the firmware from the factory.
All you are doing is essentially turning it on.
I’m willing to bet the real culprit here is buggy firmware that a lot of owners are reporting issues with.
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Audi Marshall Plymouth had the car for a service, they also said they had a re-call to change two modules, they also said they had updated the firmware to the latest one....I got the car and none of the systems were activated! They kept the car for another 24hours, 60mile round trip for me!...I got the car and the firmware was the same! I took a snapshot of the version number before I took the car in....then I was told that it was a failed attempt to install the firmware.....The car went to Exeter Marshall Audi, these clowns had the car for 7 hours while I waited all day in the showroom!!..after about 3 hours of them trying I suggested they try to activate the speed sign camera in case that had anything to do with it....they said it did not....another 4 hours later they gave me the car back still not fixed!! Audi Uk instructed them to take the car back and fix the issue, Audi Exeter kept the car for 9 days, then told me that because I had used FOD in germany the car thinks its German!!!!!!!! and the software has reset the car....they said it needed a new 5f module....the whole MMI unit!!!!!...why not flash the software!!! and they want £625 to take the MMi out of one car and test it in mine, if thats the issue they want another £3k for a new 5f module.....jokers!!!.....and they pointed the finger at the customer as the cause of the issue because i invalidated the warranty by installing software....I did not install it Audi did, remotely!!!!!...I paid 1 euro and took a months trial, through the Audi website, albiet Germany..... The are fools at both of these outlets and I advse anyone who lives in Devon or Cornwall, or dealer not to purshase anything from these clowns, they treat customers like they are fools, and even the fools have google to research....... Audi are not having my money again, customer support in the UK is litrally a bunch of boy racers in white shirts taking service money from over 70`s.... They do not actually give a toss about customers, just the size of the wallet...I am sure in Germany they get much better support....the hardware is the same for every Audi, the software may vary....install a new uk firmware if thats the issue, not try and treat the customer like he has an IQ of 15!!!....both these outlets need a overhaul of staff or closed down, I will complain about both being un-professional and trying to con a customer out of £3.5k,,,on a car that is 15 months from new!!!....it never had any issues at all until it went in for a service, I honestly thought they had took the cpu out, the MMI was sluggish and if the silly idiots did not activate the systems then how much faith do I have they did the wheel nuts up properly!!!!!,,,,, YOU DO NOT EXPECT THIS FROM THE AUDI BRAND.
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I'm sure I read somewhere that when some software updates were done including the SOS warning with reversing camera, it wiped the maps and put the car back into transport mode - They then have to reinstall things in a set procedure no different to a PC
Your dealers sound awful, and you're right to keep complaining - It might be too late but you could push for rejection because you spent good money on a car that doesn't work properly
My dealer had the car for 1st service (2020 S3 - October 2021) put the updates on and spoke to Audi Germany about why I couldn't get the FOD (German website to work) and they said once the updates are finished the car effectively is factory reset - I was told to go onto the Myaudi on a PC - login change password and logout and then log back in and then log into the car - I did all of this and then logged into Myaudi changing language to German and then FOD for Traffic Sign came up - I did the trial and just before it expired I went for the full upgrade and it loaded all correctly
Good luck
