Audi A6 MFSW

TYP 8Z

Member
If I was to buy an Audi A6 MFSW, what should I look out for to ensure it's compatible with my 2003 TDI?

Thank you in advance for any help guys

Andy
 
Hi Andy.

Chances are you'll be able to integrate a great number of different Audi MFSWs, but the ease of doing so varies. If you post what sort of wheel you're looking at, I can advise.

Cheers,

Tom
 
Hi Andy,

Yep, installing that wheel won't present any problems. In addition to what's shown in the ad', you'll need the MFSW controller, the controller carrier and a custom wiring loom.

Cheers,

Tom
 
The part number on Ebay page
8Z0419091BG
Is listed for A2's and A6's
I bought mine from Ebay.de ,it was listed as a A6 wheel but is actually an A2 wheel
The control unit is slightly different but both work on the A2
 
Just bought this for £40, so I can keep my existing steering wheel. $_57.JPG

Now I need to find the other bits and most importantly someone in the London area that can complete the upgrade!
 
Just bought this for £40, so I can keep my existing steering wheel. View attachment 17980

Now I need to find the other bits and most importantly someone in the London area that can complete the upgrade!

If you have the standard 4 spoke wheel then I'm not sure if it's possible to use the multi function airbag unit with it. Always thought the 'multi function' wheel incorporated an interface module which the multi function buttons plug into.

Cheers Spike
 
Correct Spike - this clearly shows the button arrangement for the 'official' A2 mfsw:

attachment.php


The buttons are a part of the airbag cover and not on the wheel itself.

Cheers,

Michael
 
Just bought this for £40, so I can keep my existing steering wheel. View attachment 17980

Hi Andy,

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. The steering wheel you originally linked from eBay.de will work just fine, but that doesn't mean you can just replace the airbag unit of your existing steering wheel. Spike provides the reason below...

If you have the standard 4 spoke wheel then I'm not sure if it's possible to use the multi function airbag unit with it. Always thought the 'multi function' wheel incorporated an interface module which the multi function buttons plug into.

The buttons on the airbag unit are linked to a circuit board built into the actual steering wheel. This circuit board takes the commands from the 6 buttons and converts them into LIN messages, ready to be sent through the slip ring to the MFSW controller. Your existing wheel doesn't have this capability.

My suggestion would be to now buy the dark blue leather steering wheel you've found on eBay.de. Your existing steering wheel may not have the necessary circuitry, but it does have the mounting points for said circuitry. As such, with the steering wheel from eBay.de, I can convert your existing steering wheel. You can then use the airbag unit that you've just bought, meaning you'll have a perfect, original A2 MFSW in black.

Cheers,

Tom

Correct Spike - this clearly shows the button arrangement for the 'official' A2 mfsw:

attachment.php

As an aside, the photo that Skipton has linked shows an A4 MFSW, not the 'official' A2 MFSW. Note that there is no silver ring around the Audi logo on the airbag unit but instead a thick textured ring. The airbag unit that Andy has bought for £40 was the type originally fitted to the A2.
 
Yes, I used official in apostrophes for a reason! The photo I posted is indeed of an A4 airbag, but it's installed and working in an A2 as you can see.

To clarify for Typ 8Z, this is not a plug and play upgrade - as has been mentioned, the buttons on the airbag send out signals which need to be converted to LIN messages (Local Information Network) which can then be converted into CAN messages by another controller (Control Area Network), so that the 'infotainment' system in the A2 can understand them. The CAN implementation in the A2 isn't as full as in later Audis, just the radio and telephone stuff basically (there is some other stuff related to actual driving too).

Timmus is your man for this sort of thing, or even A2 Cars and this page will show you in more detail just how much is involved, including showing the circuitry built into the steering wheel.

http://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-s8-d2-platform-discussion-8/will-have-all-parts-do-mfsw-retrofit-soon-1755351/

Cheers,

Michael.
 
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Yes, I used official in apostrophes for a reason! The photo I posted is indeed of an A4 airbag, but it's installed and working in an A2 as you can see.

Ah, I did wonder whether those inverted commas were laden with meaning. Apologies for the minor misunderstanding. Indeed, the A4 unit shown in Michael's photo will work perfectly in an A2. Personally, I'm not a great fan of that fat textured ring on the A4 airbag unit, though - I like the A2's thin silver ring much more.
Just for general interest, whilst the A4's MFSW electronics work on the same basic principle, they're not identical to the A2's MFSW electronics. The A2 shares its MFSW electronics with the A8 of the same era.


Timmus is your man for this sort of thing...

Thank you, Skipton. :)
 
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The A2 shares its MFSW electronics with the A8 of the same era.

Actually, the A6 (4B) is where the most common DNA is to be found, electrically. The LIN to CAN controller used in the A2 is actually an A6 part (4B denotes this) and yes, it's also used on the old A8 too.;)

Where the A2 and A8 do share a lot of their heritage is in the bodywork and spaceframe area - both were built at the same plant in Neckarsulm using the same laser welding techniques.:cool:



Thank you, Skipton. :)

You're welcome!
 
Actually, the A6 (4B) is where the most common DNA is to be found, electrically. The LIN to CAN controller used in the A2 is actually an A6 part (4B denotes this) and yes, it's also used on the old A8 too.;)

Ah yes, you're very right. The LIN-to-CAN module is indeed an A6 part. It's the buttons-to-LIN module built into the actual steering wheel (made by TRW) that I've sourced most frequently from A8s. The A6 of the era seems to use one of two buttons-to-LIN modules: either the more basic module found in the A4 or the more advanced one found in the A2/A8. I suspect it's dependent upon whether the A6 had a tiptronic 'box or not, but I've not looked into it in detail.

Where the A2 and A8 do share a lot of their heritage is in the bodywork and spaceframe area - both were built at the same plant in Neckarsulm using the same laser welding techniques.:cool:

Indeed. Very cool. :cool:
The club has just lost one of its members to the A8 because he wanted an "A2 Daddy Edition"! I believe John spotted Tank in a car park only last week.
 
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The club has just lost one of its members to the A8 because he wanted an "A2 Daddy Edition"! I believe John spotted Tank in a car park only last week.

Apparently so - if they'd ever done an Avant version of the A8, I'd be joining him. Couldn't live with the inflexibility of a saloon car though, even one with as big a boot as the A8.

A great used buy though and you certainly get a lot of car for your money.

Right, thread swerve finished - back to you sorting the MFSW for TYP 8Z


Cheers,

Michael.
 
Apparently so - if they'd ever done an Avant version of the A8, I'd be joining him. Couldn't live with the inflexibility of a saloon car though, even one with as big a boot as the A8.

Yes, I'm with you here. However big the boot of the A8, I couldn't have a saloon. You can get a dishwasher into an A2 without issue, but here the A8 would let you down.

Yep, we're definitely going off topic here. I think Andy will forgive us, though.

Tom
 
All forgiven guys :) You have been so incredibly helpful... Guys like yourselves make this forum so great for all of us. Thank you!!

Andy
 
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