Audi Concert to RNS-E unit ?

[Matt268uk]

Morning all and a very happy new year to all ASN users.

For some time now i've been thinking of replacing the head unit in my A3 sportback. presently i have the audi concert unit with mfsw. I've been looking at this unit :- https://www.gumtree.com/p/in-car-au...d-media-g-mmi-cd-radio-player-plus/1125455754

And wondered if it would be a straight swap ? which leads i may need to connect the mfsw etc.

Many thanks as always. Matt.

 

[Scott_Crossley]

What year is your car mate? It may be a straight swap depending on your year of car, however, it's highly recommended that you change the amps and do a small wiring mod to enable the correct diversity and ensure you don't get any faults. It will also ensure that you get radio reception as you may struggle getting stations all the time. It will cost you around £100 to change the amps

 

[Matt268uk]

@Scott_Crossley thanks for your reply. My car is a 2009, i never realised i'd have to switch out amps etc. I was really hoping i could just replace the head unit and maybe looms for the mfsw. is it possible you could link me to the amps etc i might need ?
Thanks again Matt.

 

[Scott_Crossley]

Ok so yours is the facelift, in terms of the radio it's self it will be plug and play. It will work however like I say your radio reception may be a bit poor as the rnse and the concert run on different amps that produce different diversity etc, this will also bring a fault up on vcds that says 'ZF short to ground'

http://www.vagoc.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=349&showall=1

Have a read up on that and do some searches on this forum mate, it will bring up all the information you require and give you a clearer picture of what's required.

I fitted my RNS-E about 16 months ago, I only changed the amps and done the wiring mod last month, it does work fine, but like I say you may sometimes struggle to get reception.

 

[Matt268uk]

Thanks @Scott_Crossley can i ask where you sourced your parts for the amp upgrades ? also do you know if i'd need a cage or will the one i have work ? Sorry for all the questions but i'm new to the audio side of things.

 

[Scott_Crossley]

I got all my parts from Audi except the lower amp I think it was (the biggest one, i think Audi quoted me about £90-£100 for that alone) I got mine from eBay for £30ish, the prices on that link are old and the parts are cheaper.

No mate you will not need a cage, simply pull yours out, plug your plugs into your new rnse and away you go.

1 over thing I forgot sorry, have you got an aux Input fitted? If so there is another little mod involving moving 1 plug around as the rnse and concert use different pins for the aux input.

 

[Matt268uk]

Yes i do have an aux imput. so i can get the amps from ebay and maybe order the cables via mike on here.

 

[1wheelonly]

I've never bothered with the antenna amp swap, reception loss is marginal and not worth the money
If really concerned about it the cost is better spent on a autodab

The aux input also requires an additional plug that you don't currently have

 

[Scott_Crossley]

Install your rnse and see how you feel about it.

You don't 'need' that plug, you can use the plug that is currently fitted, it just pushes into the new pins, I never purchased it.

 

[1wheelonly]

Aswell as moving the plug you also need to move the pins in the plug

Plug 1J0 972 977 G is only about £5

Your aux is currently in plug B on the quadlock on pins :

Aux left / pin 1
Aux right / pin 7
Aux gnd / pin 3

These need to go into the AV socket on the rns-e on pins :
Aux left / pin 22
Aux right / pin 6
Aux gnd / pin 21

So if you don't get the AV plug and choose to do Scott's method of using plug B then Unclip plug b from the quadlock, then you can remove the core of the plug which allows access to the pins, then remove pin 3 ( aux gnd ) and put it in pin 2, then place the plug in the AV section of the rns-e, the pins are then in there correct order

However, you CANT do this if you have Bose as plug B in the quadlock needs to be retained for the Bose pin which also requires moving from pin 5 to pin 7

 

[1wheelonly]

You will also require vcds ( vagcom ) to recode the rns-e to suit your car and its attachments etc
For instance, the rns-e you buy may of came from a car without Bluetooth, without aux etc if this is the case then aux wouldn't be displayed in the source menu and wouldn't function so you need to programme it to tell it what you have

 

[Matt268uk]

Ok, Thankyou guys so much for the info,this has given me lots to think about and how to go about installing a unit into my car. Luckily i do have vcds so it's now a matter of sourcing a unit with security code.

 

[Scott_Crossley]

Good luck mate

 

[Matt268uk]

Thanks Scott

 

[fangio]

A bit here:-



And this:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-RNS-...enuine-Plug-/400873102789?hash=item5d55e61dc5