dan_b
A2OC Donor
Dear forum
For the last two days, Hotstuff and I have sweated over a rather large modification to my car. Conversion from a single-DIN to double-DIN dash (note, conversion, not dash-swap), and then installing a Mk2 MY2010 RNS-E.
The good news (and for those who have a short attention span!) is that it's do-able, and it all works. Yes, you can convert a single-DIN to a double-DIN dash, and yes you can install a Mk2 RNS-E with full DIS integration.
In fact, the RNS-E installation was the least complicated part of the job! Having the correct hardware and software versions as per Craigb's recent discovery (ie revision B, HW version 02 and SW version 150) you can code the Mk2 RNS-E to A6 mode and all is well.
However.......
Dash conversion, now that is another matter entirely! Yes, we did it, but having done it I'd be the first to say it's not the preferred route. If you can lay your hands on an existing double-DIN dash and are able to transport it/store it, it's a much easier route to take.
The number of differences in the two dashes between the single- and double-DIN units is ridiculous. Even with the (metal) double-DIN cage to hand, it's hard to see what Audi was thinking when they made so many changes. To remove the single-DIN fixtures essentially requires complete destruction of the entire single-DIN architecture (it's all plastic parts that are heatwelded and bonded into place), significant cutting of the remaining dash internals, and also some not-insignificant filing down of parts of the metal double-DIN cage. Constant problem-solving engineering was required!
Not only that, when you come to then re-install items such as the air vents and the ash-tray, you find that the original screws don't do the job any more because they're screwing into machined metal and not plastic... I'd estimate the conversion process took a good 4 hours of furtling, whittling, hacking, filing, cutting, gluing, swearing and fixing! Simply swapping an entire double-DIN dash would have saved us most of that time... Still, it's done and you can do it if you need to.
Another learning is that the RNS-E quadlock adapter looms you can buy are almost always wired up incorrectly. Mine was. So we had to go through it pin by pin to cross-check.
Single-DIN air-con panel had to be re-shaped, along with the RNS-E unit - but that all went smoothly.
We also installed a FISCON bluetooth module - and this is currently the only part that isn't working. The RNS-E just doesn't see it at the moment, and according to the FISCON instruction manual it says a minimum Software Level of 350 is required. I only have a navi-disc with SW220 so we failed on that part. My next challenge is to discover whether I can upgrade the software to SW350 on a Mk2RNS-E, and how...
Anyway, I want to say a HUGE thanks to Tony (Aka Hotstuff) for his immense expertise and help with this project, and for allowing me to take 2 days off of him that he'll never get back! Also a big thanks to Craigb for providing the information about which version of the Mk2 RNS-E can be coded for A2 use. And thanks to Audi for providing such fun cars that we all enjoy modifying - it's crazy that a MultiMedia Sat-Nav unit made in 2010 can be made to integrate so successfully with a 10+ year old Audi with barely any of the modern-day underlying technology.
For the last two days, Hotstuff and I have sweated over a rather large modification to my car. Conversion from a single-DIN to double-DIN dash (note, conversion, not dash-swap), and then installing a Mk2 MY2010 RNS-E.
The good news (and for those who have a short attention span!) is that it's do-able, and it all works. Yes, you can convert a single-DIN to a double-DIN dash, and yes you can install a Mk2 RNS-E with full DIS integration.
In fact, the RNS-E installation was the least complicated part of the job! Having the correct hardware and software versions as per Craigb's recent discovery (ie revision B, HW version 02 and SW version 150) you can code the Mk2 RNS-E to A6 mode and all is well.
However.......
Dash conversion, now that is another matter entirely! Yes, we did it, but having done it I'd be the first to say it's not the preferred route. If you can lay your hands on an existing double-DIN dash and are able to transport it/store it, it's a much easier route to take.
The number of differences in the two dashes between the single- and double-DIN units is ridiculous. Even with the (metal) double-DIN cage to hand, it's hard to see what Audi was thinking when they made so many changes. To remove the single-DIN fixtures essentially requires complete destruction of the entire single-DIN architecture (it's all plastic parts that are heatwelded and bonded into place), significant cutting of the remaining dash internals, and also some not-insignificant filing down of parts of the metal double-DIN cage. Constant problem-solving engineering was required!
Not only that, when you come to then re-install items such as the air vents and the ash-tray, you find that the original screws don't do the job any more because they're screwing into machined metal and not plastic... I'd estimate the conversion process took a good 4 hours of furtling, whittling, hacking, filing, cutting, gluing, swearing and fixing! Simply swapping an entire double-DIN dash would have saved us most of that time... Still, it's done and you can do it if you need to.
Another learning is that the RNS-E quadlock adapter looms you can buy are almost always wired up incorrectly. Mine was. So we had to go through it pin by pin to cross-check.
Single-DIN air-con panel had to be re-shaped, along with the RNS-E unit - but that all went smoothly.
We also installed a FISCON bluetooth module - and this is currently the only part that isn't working. The RNS-E just doesn't see it at the moment, and according to the FISCON instruction manual it says a minimum Software Level of 350 is required. I only have a navi-disc with SW220 so we failed on that part. My next challenge is to discover whether I can upgrade the software to SW350 on a Mk2RNS-E, and how...
Anyway, I want to say a HUGE thanks to Tony (Aka Hotstuff) for his immense expertise and help with this project, and for allowing me to take 2 days off of him that he'll never get back! Also a big thanks to Craigb for providing the information about which version of the Mk2 RNS-E can be coded for A2 use. And thanks to Audi for providing such fun cars that we all enjoy modifying - it's crazy that a MultiMedia Sat-Nav unit made in 2010 can be made to integrate so successfully with a 10+ year old Audi with barely any of the modern-day underlying technology.