replacing a head unit

[ericcs]

I know this topic comes up time and time again, but it is still confusing to me.
my kids have had and still have mk5's. Jetta's, gti's and tdi's, 06' to 08's.
they are wanting to upgrade to a Bluetooth(for phone and music) head unit,
whether it be genuine or after market. the issues with battery drain, canbus
upgrades, gateway's, differences between year models etc, just confuse me too much.

is there any literature to read that explains it all, or is there someone in Brisbane
I can speak to, to get some direction on what the best option is.

I don't understand why you can't just pick up a hot active and a switched active like
iv'e always done on other cars.

[kamold]

The issue with putting in a newer generation head unit into a car earlier than around 2008 is that there is a network switch, known as the CANbus gateway that in newer head units cuts power 30mins after shutdown.
This allows the head unit to start instantly if you go into the service station to pay, instead of going through the whole bootup sequence (which in an older RNS510 can be a bit lengthy).
So if you have an older gateway that doesn't shut the head unit down after the car is turned off, it will quickly drain the battery.
If the car is pre 2008 (you can actually check the gateway part number and if it ends in L or later then it's OK) then you will likely need to upgrade the gateway.

[ericcs]

thanks for the info.
so, where can i find the gateway number, and who can do the upgrade?
and once this is done, can any late model or after market unit be used?

[kamold]

The gateway will show up on a scan of the vehicle with diagnostics software (which will also be needed to code the new gateway to match your current config).
The module itself is in a difficult to get to position up above and behind the steering column (or one of a couple of other places, they kept moving it around in different cars and years).
Once you have replaced it with a newer version then any newer stereo can be used.
I'm sure there are plenty of people in Brisbane that can do it for you for cash/beer.

[JustCruisn]

I added a Sony unit to my Jettas. I did not need a CAN upgrade.

I got a steering wheel control box so the volume & mute buttons still work.
Connects2 Ltd

Needed a connector for the antenna, "Dual Fakra to Standard DIN Male (FM Diversity)" ebay
looks like you can get this bundled with steering control now too.
Connects2 Ltd


Lastly was an adapter for the Sony unit to the ISO connector that VW use.
Aerpro Wiring Harness - suit Sony Head Units 2013+, APP8SP3 | Supercheap Auto


I also went to single DIN, so I got a fascia plate which gave a pocket below the radio.
Connects2 Ltd

You will need brand specific ISO adapter and the patch cable for the steering wheel controller.


No wires were cut, everything worked just fine.
First car took about 1 hour, 2nd car about 20 minutes.
Internet research about 3 days

[ericcs]

ok, so are the jetta's early or late models, and, is the canbus issue only for original equipment?

[JustCruisn]

Mine were both 2006 models, so early.

[ericcs]

Hmmm, might have to take the punt and try an aftermarket unit first, and see what happens. thanks!

[maltbbe]

Without going into too much detail - a foolproof way of getting Bluetooth, nav etc. in any Mk5 Golf is to buy one of these:
RCD330 Plus RCD330G Carplay Android Auto Noname 6RD 035 187B Car Radio MIB For VW Golf 5 6 Jetta MK5 MK6 CC Tiguan Passat Polo-in Car Radios from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group and one of these:
BODENLA RCD330 Plug&Play ISO Quadlock Adapter Cable w/ CANBUS Decoder Simulator For VW Golf 6 Jetta MK5 MK6 Passat Polo Vento-in Cables, Adapters & Sockets from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

I'm a big fan of the RCD330 head unit, and lots of members on this forum use them; you can buy models without the Android Auto/Carplay functions for a fifth of the price, too. The Canbus decoder module saves you having to replace the Canbus unit (can confirm from personal experience that it works!), and the whole thing is a half-hour long plug-and-play install. Can't recommend it enough!!

[ericcs]

Without going into too much detail - a foolproof way of getting Bluetooth, nav etc. in any Mk5 Golf is to buy one of these:
RCD330 Plus RCD330G Carplay Android Auto Noname 6RD 035 187B Car Radio MIB For VW Golf 5 6 Jetta MK5 MK6 CC Tiguan Passat Polo-in Car Radios from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group and one of these:
BODENLA RCD330 Plug&Play ISO Quadlock Adapter Cable w/ CANBUS Decoder Simulator For VW Golf 6 Jetta MK5 MK6 Passat Polo Vento-in Cables, Adapters & Sockets from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

I'm a big fan of the RCD330 head unit, and lots of members on this forum use them; you can buy models without the Android Auto/Carplay functions for a fifth of the price, too. The Canbus decoder module saves you having to replace the Canbus unit (can confirm from personal experience that it works!), and the whole thing is a half-hour long plug-and-play install. Can't recommend it enough!!

awesome, will go down this path i think!

[ian]

Go onto Facebook buy swap and sell Brisbane there are some late model Amarok with navigation for $350 besides others going cheap

[JustCruisn]

How good are those ebay head units any way ?
Do they crash or lag, is radio reception any good, can screens be read in full sun, how is sound quality etc ?
When I did mine years ago these units were really poor, so I skipped. Just wondering if they have improved or not.

[maltbbe]

For what it's worth, I just installed a $200 'Joying'-branded unit in my partner's Saab; there weren't any aftermarket options (not even fascia kits), so I needed something I could custom-fab into the dash. I think all the brands and sizes all pretty much the same on the inside, though. This one has 1gb of RAM and an old version of Android, but it seems fine; it's like having a cheap Android tablet glued to your dash, but it doesn't seem any less laggy than the infotainment systems in a new Honda or Corolla, for example. Radio reception is fine, the screen is bright and pretty responsive, and sound quality is totally acceptable. As long as you don't push them, I think they'll work fine as basic head units.

The real problem with this one (and most of these other units, I think) is that having a big Android tablet glued to your dash doesn't always make a lot of sense. There's a lot of swiping and poking at tiny icons to adjust the volume or change the radio station, you need to have a Wi-Fi hotspot running on your phone to use Google Maps or Spotify - there's even a preinstalled Youtube app on mine for some reason. We're trying to get it to run Android Auto, which would make it a much better head unit, but on a VW I don't see much point in trying something like that when you can just buy an Android Auto (and Carplay)-enabled RCD330 for less cash. They seem much better than they used to be, though - there are a few big names, like Joying, Xtrons and Seicane, that get consistently good reviews and seem to make pretty quality products.

[Bmos87]

Hi,

Just about to install a Pioneer AVH-A205BT into my 2008 147tsi Jetta, Im not sure where I can wire in the Reverse Trigger for the head unit? All the google searches point towards wiring it into the reverse light at the rear, but the wire from the ISO patch isn't long enough and the Pioneer reverse camera uses a power and earth at the ISO connection. Does anyone know of a reverse trigger wire located in the dash??

Cheers,
Brett