Retrofit of RVC to MK6 Golf

[Pepe]

I've had mine in for a while and, strangely, I'm having trouble convincing myself to trust it.

Probably 70+ years of turning my head (now quite an effort, BTW) and squinting in mirrors makes the habit hard to break...

Incidentally, for those looking to fit one, for a Mk 6 you don't need all the bits specified in some of the DIY guides.

Here's what's really essential:
1 piggyback fuse adapter ("Carpoint" — I found this on Ebay from UK) which avoids having to dismantle the dash.
Reverse camera and badge assembly P/N VW 5K0 827469 AM ULM (1 Req’d)
Wire Set for Camera P/N VW 5M1970161AC (1 Req’d)
Contact Housing P/N VW 4B0973712 (4-pin for latch connector — 1 Req’d)
Contact Housing P/N VW 3B0972722 (4-pin for Camera Power (1 Req’d, only 3 pins used))
Wire Set VW 000979131E (fits both connectors, 4 Req’d, you’ll have half of one left over.)
A couple of metres of 7.5A wire similar to the power lead that comes with the video lead.
Heat shrink tube or tape (tape is expensive!)
Electrician's tape (good quality, not the rubbish sold in those multi-coloured supermarket packs.)
A drain tube from VW for the camera (ECS have them, I think, they also have the other VW bits) — or do what I did and get a bit of food grade PVC tubing from Clark Rubber.
A decent set of plastic trim tools (if ordering the unit from ECS in USA, they have an excellent set for about $10.)
A nice flexible probe 70cm to a metre long and strong string to pull the cables through from the dash.
Wire cutter and stripper, soldering tools and the know-how to use them.
A few small zip ties are handy, but not essential.
Pliers, a T20 Torx driver, common sense and almost infinite patience.

I started to write a blow-by-blow guide, but it quickly got to 6 pages and still isn't finished, so it'd be too big to post here, I think.

We should combine efforts, I wrote some stuff too but CBF finishing it... your list of things to buy looks longer than what I used in the end too.

[Idle]

We should combine efforts, I wrote some stuff too but CBF finishing it... your list of things to buy looks longer than what I used in the end too.

The list could be cut a little, (2 of the VW wires and one contact housing could be dispensed with) but more soldering would be needed around the camera and the unit could no longer be removed without cutting wires. Difference in cost would only be about $25.

There's also a cheaper way to fit a fuse than the one I used, but it would look (and be) a bit of a bodge.

One fine day I'll finish writing my guide, I suppose, then I'll have to edit it so it makes sense...

[Ryan_R]

Looking forward to reading those guides when you finish them (hopefully photos are included)

[jumpman]

Just thought I'd give some info on this on.

I just retrofitted the RVC onto my '11 Golf R with the RCD510. The car has OPS as standard. The install was surprisingly straight forward. Sorry no photos since my garage did the work whilst I watched. I purchased the camera with harness off ebay (ww*carsystems*pl).

When the RCD510 was removed, it actually has a label on the unit indicating that it was RVC compatible. Plugged the camera harness into the unit and connected the 12V+ and earth. The extra yellow wire from this harness is the trigger for reverse so no need to connect from the front. Took the positive from the reverse light at the rear and connected that to the connection. The rest of the connections were plug and play. Had to cut a small tube for the drainage.

There was alot of checking on the VAGCOM so that the RVC and OPS worked together. Luckily, we had a GTI in the shop which has RVC as standard and just copied the settings via VAGCOM. When reverse is triggered, OPS comes on first but with the RVC, there is now a button on the bottom right of the screen 'RVC', when you press that, the screen switches to the camera view whilst the OPC continues to sound.

I was quite hesitant initially about the install before hand since I had not been able to find any instructions specific to Golf R and RCD510 but it turned out straight forward. Hope this helps some of you.

[Ryan_R]

Good to hear. I was going to ask which garage you used but then just noticed your location (HK)

[Pepe]

Just thought I'd give some info on this on.

I just retrofitted the RVC onto my '11 Golf R with the RCD510. The car has OPS as standard. The install was surprisingly straight forward. Sorry no photos since my garage did the work whilst I watched. I purchased the camera with harness off ebay (ww*carsystems*pl).

When the RCD510 was removed, it actually has a label on the unit indicating that it was RVC compatible. Plugged the camera harness into the unit and connected the 12V+ and earth. The extra yellow wire from this harness is the trigger for reverse so no need to connect from the front. Took the positive from the reverse light at the rear and connected that to the connection. The rest of the connections were plug and play. Had to cut a small tube for the drainage.

There was alot of checking on the VAGCOM so that the RVC and OPS worked together. Luckily, we had a GTI in the shop which has RVC as standard and just copied the settings via VAGCOM. When reverse is triggered, OPS comes on first but with the RVC, there is now a button on the bottom right of the screen 'RVC', when you press that, the screen switches to the camera view whilst the OPC continues to sound.

I was quite hesitant initially about the install before hand since I had not been able to find any instructions specific to Golf R and RCD510 but it turned out straight forward. Hope this helps some of you.

That means you missed a setting in VCDS... that's what I did first too. There is another setting that defaults to the RVC view on the RNS with the OPS as an overlay on the left of the screen so you don't have to press the button each time. I've got it written down somewhere, will dig it out and post it.

[jumpman]

Ah...that would be great. Thanks in advance

[Chino]

Hey jumpman, what kind of garage did you bring your R to? A VW's or a typical car audio garage? I'm about to purchase a set from the ebay guy you mentioned. Also, did you get the 5K0 827 469 AQ or 5K0 827 469 Q? Thanks!

[jumpman]

Chino

My garage is actually a VW specialist and the local MTM distributor. I think a garage with good knowledge of VW (especially when you have to pull off so much trim) and access to VCDS is key. I purchased the AQ version with the harness.

[jumpman]

Just to follow up, Pepe or anyone have the settings for the VCDS to default to the camera with the OPS on the side?

[Pepe]

Can't seem to find the USB stick I took all my notes on... it'll be around somewhere, otherwise, I'll go plug in the cable tomorrow night and find the setting for ya.

[MikeB]

Here's what's really essential:

Reverse camera and badge assembly P/N VW 5K0 827469 AM ULM (1 Req’d)
Wire Set for Camera P/N VW 5M1970161AC (1 Req’d)
Contact Housing P/N VW 4B0973712 (4-pin for latch connector — 1 Req’d)
Contact Housing P/N VW 3B0972722 (4-pin for Camera Power (1 Req’d, only 3 pins used))
Wire Set VW 000979131E (fits both connectors, 4 Req’d, you’ll have half of one left over.)
....

I started to write a blow-by-blow guide, but it quickly got to 6 pages and still isn't finished, so it'd be too big to post here, I think.

Idle, great list and info so far. I'm interested, but don't really understand the complexity. Can you explain how long this took in hours?? Degree of difficulty?
Any chance of you being able to share what you did write up (I figure whatever you have is better than knowing nothing).

I am down the road in Glen Iris, so a coaching session in melbourne would be another way to do it
FYI - current ECS price list for the bits is $586.41 including $63 shipping (All $US)
( I put an RNS-510 in and VW coded it in; they accidentally enabled the RVC view [which just gives a blank screen of course] so it is tempting me every time I go into reverse)

[Idle]

Idle, great list and info so far. I'm interested, but don't really understand the complexity. Can you explain how long this took in hours?? Degree of difficulty?
Any chance of you being able to share what you did write up (I figure whatever you have is better than knowing nothing).

I did actually get it pretty much complete — if you PM me your email I'll send it to you.

Time-wise, I didn't keep count (had problems with supply of bits etc., so it was spread over weeks) but doing it again would probably take me about four hours (knowing where to hit and what with helps a lot.)

20 years ago I'd have done it much quicker than that.

[Pepe]

Idle, great list and info so far. I'm interested, but don't really understand the complexity. Can you explain how long this took in hours?? Degree of difficulty?
Any chance of you being able to share what you did write up (I figure whatever you have is better than knowing nothing).

I am down the road in Glen Iris, so a coaching session in melbourne would be another way to do it
FYI - current ECS price list for the bits is $586.41 including $63 shipping (All $US)
( I put an RNS-510 in and VW coded it in; they accidentally enabled the RVC view [which just gives a blank screen of course] so it is tempting me every time I go into reverse)

The biggest pain with this is running the cable from one end of the car to the other, means a lot of fiddling with trim, etc. As you have an Adidas, the guides won't apply fully either as you have R style LED tail lights, so that means you have to po out a tail light too (or solder it in place).

Idle's right though, it'd be much quicker if you've done it before (or can get someone to come help that has)

[orkers]

With all of the passionate talk from RVC owners / non-owners recently, I thought I'd ask a question around retro-fitting the RVC option to a Golf R. As mine was a "grab a car in stock with as close to the features as I can get" car, I didn't end up with the RVC which I possibly would have optioned (then again I probably wouldn't have chosen some of the optins I did get and now love).

Anyway, can a VW dealer retro fit this as an option and if so, do you know what they would charge? Or is it purely an option that you need to purchasse the parts for and either fit yourself or get a non-dealer garage to fit?

If Pepe fancies doing a job-lot of installs in Melbourne I'd put my order in for one - $50 an hour is it Pepe? Ha Ha.