gps head unit install audi a4

[ayseven]

Bought an aftermarket unit off Ebay, to replace my CD/Cassette player (which I will actually miss) but it came with no instructions. Given the potential for frying my ECU, I need some help. Can anybody recommend a good shop to install this?

It has a reverse camera, TV, DVD, GPS, Bluetooth and god knows what else, and about a hundred wires. I need to get rid of a cockpit full of adaptors and crap, and get modernised.

[ayseven]

Weelllllll, the consensus elsewhere seems to be that it isn't hard to do, so I'm going to give it a go this weekend. Hey, business has been good, so I can afford a new ECU if necessary. I'll post results here, just FYI.

[rmicroys]

The trick is to get a plug and play wiring adapter kit for your car. That should take care of almost all of the OEM connections. I would be surprised you can't go to the manufacturer's website and get the installation instructions and manual. The wiring kit is a must. I never splice a aftermarket radio in to the car harness anymore. The kits truly make the job easy for most of it. The hardest part you'll have is the microphone, rear camera and external GPS antenna if it has one.

[GoesFilled]

FYI - VW/AUDI sometimes have issues with aftermarket decks...

Try www.ottawa-vdubbing.com and ask for help there.

I'm pretty sure we've got someone on the site that does stereo installs... tho I can't remember who it is.

[rmicroys]

Been there. Done a few. And I have a warm garage. Have a VAG-com if we need to talk to the car.

[ayseven]

Plugged everything in today, and spent about 3 hours fooling around trying to route wires. Nothing. There is a Can Bus unit with it but the adaptor doesn't work with the existing plugs on the car. Also the FM antenna has a different plug. Help. Money waiting. Where can I go?

[rmicroys]

Plugged everything in today, and spent about 3 hours fooling around trying to route wires. Nothing. There is a Can Bus unit with it but the adaptor doesn't work with the existing plugs on the car. Also the FM antenna has a different plug. Help. Money waiting. Where can I go?

The little antenna converter is a standard installer item. I probably even have one kicking around somewhere. They are available at Futureshop/Best Buy from the installer guys.

With regards to the CAN Bus wiring. Hmm.. 10$ says somewhere there is an adapter harness available. I would check out Crutchfield online to see if they have anything. They are probably one of the best online sources for stuff, at least for the standard plug and play type of consumer.

What's the head unit, and model year of the car?

I have a VCDS if you need to talk to your car at all to get this working as well.

[ayseven]

Hey that's great! The only name on the unit is "S 60". I just ordered another FM antenna adaptor from fleabay. Now that I know how to change it, I can add it later.

Car: 06 A4 Avant. Has a shark fin satellite antenna, but I'm not going to use it, in order to make it simpler.

The unit has a camera, mic and GPS receiver. No idea where to mount the reverse camera; doesn't appear to have anywhere convenient at the back of the car.

[rmicroys]

You can't even tell the brand of the head unit? Ruhhh oh?

Okay, Chinese knockoff. Looks like this?







Should be interesting for sure to hook that up, Definitely no aftermarket harnesses for it. Not sure what you need then for the CAN bus. I wouldn't be surprised if we would need to use the VCDS to see if we can get the car to talk to it!

[ayseven]

That is it! Apparently the guy from Hong Kong is going to email me and tell me what to do. I just figured out that the CanBus box plugs into the loom that does take the car connectors, so there is hope.

I may have it: I will try tonight, but I just noticed that one of the pins on the adaptor plug (that takes the Audi car connectors, of which there are 3) came loose and was not connecting when plugged in. The help is much appreciated, and I will be sure to keep you posted!

[ayseven]

Called one place who does this sort of thing: wouldn't touch it. I tried again, and the rear speakers didn't work, there was no GPS on the mini card installed on this, there was no TV signal, the rear camera didn't work etc.. I am going to take it to Tapp Auto and see what they can do, because now, my ESP doesn't work at all. I am a slow learner.

[ayseven]

Experience so far:
1. Front speakers don't work with radio, only with iPod plugged in.
2. Cannot choose what iPod plays. Doesn't work unless left to play from the beginning of ALL songs. Useless then.
3. Dash indications for radio gone with this unit on.
4. Back up camera, and TV receiver: yeah right. Nothing.
5. Radio reception so poor as to be useless, WITH an Audi adaptor to plug in the antenna.

Keep away from this type of unit for the A4. I have learned an expensive lesson.

[ayseven]

Boring update: old radio went back in under 10 minutes and works perfectly. The EBay guy says he'll refund, so I'm only out the shipping, labour and some wiring I paid for (which will be about $500, give or take). Any suggestions for a good radio/nav/bluetooth system for an A4? I'm tempted to call it a day and live with what I have.

[rmicroys]

The only thing I can suggest would be to actually see if you can update to the latest NAV unit that ever fit your car from Audi itself. Maybe worth checking http://www.oemplus.com/ or some other retailer for options. They may have something that is VAG and plugs right in.

Yes, they do, rather spendy though...

http://www.oemplus.com/navigation-rnse-p-1415.html

[-Ferdinand-]

What is the appeal of having an expensive OEM built-in nav system? The maps are obsolete within a year and it'll cost $300 each time to have the dealer update them for you.

For less than that you can buy a portable slim GPS unit from Garmin with a suction cup mount that you can move from car to car, and the units come with free lifetime downloadable map updates. They even have bluetooth capability built-in, so you can do hands-free voice-activated phone calls.

[rmicroys]

What is the appeal of having an expensive OEM built-in nav system? The maps are obsolete within a year and it'll cost $300 each time to have the dealer update them for you.

For less than that you can buy a portable slim GPS unit from Garmin with a suction cup mount that you can move from car to car, and the units come with free lifetime downloadable map updates. They even have bluetooth capability built-in, so you can do hands-free voice-activated phone calls.

Most people getting those in higher end cars likely end up flipping them more often. Yes. I get irked that BMW will charge 200$ + installation for new maps. It's stupid.

Though I hate having dingleberries hanging from my windscreen. Having a couple cars with built in Navi now, I'm sold on it. Particularly the newer cars now have fantastic voice integration with the entire car. I can program my BMW navi by voice from the steering wheel. It is rather slick.

[ayseven]

Essentially the appeal is less wires in my face every time I get in. They are a pain in the duff (phone, ipod, gps). However, that is life and I accept it now. I'm going back to old fashioned maps.