DAB retrofit a4 b8 avant MMI 3g

[Dave Dave]

Hi all,

i'm wanting to retrofit dab readio to MMI 3g (with B&O).

I would also like to use the existing aerial in the rear quarter window.

i beleave i need a db tuner, aerial amp and cabling.

i'v done some research and i'm a little confused on exactly the part numbers i need.

i also cant find any write-up regarding the installation...

Has anyone done this retrofit? Can anybody point me in the right direction please?

thanks

[warp_speed]

If you already have mmi 3g all you need is the radio module, DAB amplifier in the rear window, some RG178 coaxial cable (2.5 meters) and two fakra connectors to connect from the DAB amplifier to the radio module. I don't know what existing radio amplifier modules you already have on the rear window so hopefully the power supply for the DAB amplifier is already there. Pull off the rear driver trim on the C pillers and see what you have. I've retrofitted the MMI3g system to replace my DAB concert so I can provide pictures of what you need.

[Dave Dave]

Thanks for the reply. I'll have a look to see what i have behind the piller.

Also, i've bee looking on ebay for a dab radio module but i'm a bit confused about some product codes.

I think i need 4G0035061 but does it matter what the last letter is as i've seen a few with letters ending in A, N, E, F?

[warp_speed]

Thanks for the reply. I'll have a look to see what i have behind the piller.

Also, i've bee looking on ebay for a dab radio module but i'm a bit confused about some product codes.

I think i need 4G0035061 but does it matter what the last letter is as i've seen a few with letters ending in A, N, E, F?

It shouldn't matter what the final letter is as this changes with newer firmware as long as the module ends in 61.

[amafzal]

Just picking up on this thread, you've probably figured out by now and you are correct you need the 4G0035061 module with any suffix at the end, just get the VIN number of the car if you are going to get Component Protection Removed at an Audi dealer, if not then you won't need the VIN. You would also need the DAB Antenna Amplifier 8K5035225 AC, make sure you get 'AC' as 'AA' is the FM/AM one. and then as mentioned by Warp speed you need fakra cable and connectors to run from the radio to the Antenna amplifier which can be mounted on the rear pillar.

[amafzal]

Hey Warp_speed

You mention that you've just done an upgrade from Concert to 3G, I am doing a similar retrofit going from Symphony to 3g+ and I just had a couple of questions, would be great if you'd be able to help:

1 - First for the new screen, the power connector has 2 wires going into it from what I have seen on the pin outs, first is for Terminal 30 and second for Terminal 31 (I know this is ground so can be connected to any ground points) however I am stuck about Terminal 30 (which should be the 12V live), where does this one connect up to?, does it go straight to the battery or does it go to the fuse box, if so which fuse do I tap into?

2 - On the Quadlock connection at the MMI head unit, there is a green/purple wire in position A7, that goes to Radio Quadlock position D11 - This connection is labelled as 'Loop diagnostic wire' in pin out diagrams, any idea what this is and what this does?

3 - In both quad lock connections, there is the Terminal 30 and 31 - as above I can connect terminal 31 to any ground points, but how do I connect the Terminal 30, i.e. directly to the battery positive or to any of the fuses in the fuse box?

4 - I am also trying to find extension cables/connectors for the existing ESC and Auto start/stop controls to be moved from the gear surround to the MMI unit, any idea where/how I could get these?, I am quite tempted to just cut at the end of the connector and add in some extra wiring with some standard electrical box connectors, but I would rather not.

Would be great to get some insight from you on this.

[warp_speed]

1. For the display screen I used the existing wiring for the stereo and fitted a smaller fuse 5amp. Then ran a new wire from the rear quarter like it's supposed to be located. The kufatec cables take the display, head unit and radio all from the existing symphony power supply. I didn't think this was right and went with the hassle of retrofit the wiring like the factory. But you could use the existing symphony power wire and splice the 3 systems together.

2. The loop diagnostic wire is used to diagnose the mmi components if the MOST network goes down. A lot of retrofit people miss this out. It's like a backup diagnostic wire. Connect the head unit, radio module, amp and can gateway together using this wire. Not a loop but just connect them to each other.

3. Same situation as 1. For the head unit I ran a dedicated wire from the back right fuse box and ran a power wire from tech front right and placed the correct size fuse. Or use the existing wiring for your symphony stereo and connect up with the display and radio in the back.

4. Cut and extend the wires, trying to get the correct size connectors and having the right tool, it's easier to extend just make sure you wire them up correctly to each other.

Best of luck, any more questions let me know


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[amafzal]

Thats almost exactly what I was thinking, but I am not sure which Fuse I should tap into in the fuse box in the trunk?

I basically stripped out a lot of the wiring from an existing A4 but I kind of had to cut a lot of it off as the loom included a million other wires for the other electrical systems, so comparing the 2 quadlocks together, the power wire coming from the back is a much fatter thickness than the one that is connecting the Symphony radio, so instead of using that I would now be running a new wire from the fuse box to the radio and the Head unit (at the head unit will split this into 2 for the display too), however the fuses needed for the 3 would be different, correct? So:

1- 5 Amp fuse for the display
2 - for the MMI head unit?
3 - for the Radio?

For the loop diagnostic wire, ok thats what I had a some clue but wasn't sure, although had no idea the gateway would be connected together too, I haven't been able to find the pin outs for the gateway do you know by any chance how I would connect the gateway into this?

[warp_speed]

Sorry for the late reply, for some reason my login doesn't work and my e-mail address has been banned. Probably a tech issue on the forum.

Anyway yes, on factory fitted MMI systems the display uses the fuse that your current Symphony system uses but its a 5 amp fuse, instead of the current 20A used for the symphony system (Fuse ST2 SD3)
The radio module and MMI head unit use their own fuse on the back right corner. The MMI Control Unit/Head Unit is fuse ST5 SF4 (7.5 Amp) and the radio unit is ST5 SF5 and is 5 Amp. Run two wires down the right hand side to supply permanent + connection from terminal 30.

Ah the CAN gateway, this was a bobby dazzler to find. Turns out we're in luck when wiring this up. The current non-MOST CAN Gateway (the old one your replacing) uses the same location for the diagnostic wire, well one of them anyway. You need to remove wires from pins 10 and 20 which are the high and low wires for the section of CAN used for your old infotainment system. Since its being replaced with an MMI system these CAN wires wouldn't be needed any more anyway. Just tape them up and then fit the diagnostic loop wire to pin 10 of the connector and plug it into the new MOST gateway. Just a word of warning though, when you replace the CAN gateway the whole car goes into safe mode. No interior lights, no music, the display will go on so you can see the MMI working, so for testing purposes I would leave the fitting of the MOST CAN Gateway to last.

I'm in the process of writing all this up on a dedicated website to help people out who are undertaking this, if I get a minute, watch this space. Any more questions, ask away.

[amafzal]

So I actually did my retrofit on the last weekend, managed to get it all working after being sat in the car for atleast 7-8 overs over the 2 days!

I basically just cut into the existing terminal 30 wire for the symphony and used that same wire and split it to power the new head unit and also the screen, this is connected to the fuse box with a 5amp fuse already so didnt have to change anything there. For terminal 31 on the screen and hooked that into the Symphony's terminal 31 and for the MMI head unit, I hooked terminal 31 up to a bolt on the chassis behind the dash. Similarly for the radio in the boot I used the existing terminal 30 and 31 wires powering the old amp in the boot, now I havent actually put in another fuse in the boot fuse box, I think there is one already there which was being used for the amp I just need to work out which one it is and if I need to change it to a more appropriate fuse.

Now for the gateway, I managed to get the pin outs from the web, had to scour through a bit though, and just used one o the existing CAN high cables to act as the open loop diagnostic wire as the same was connecting the MMI unit, radio and the gateway together so thought instead of laying in a new wire just use the existing one.

I did not manage to route the fakra cables from the radio to the fm/am and DAB antennae in the rear 2 pillars, I've left the fakra cables connected and rolled up in the boot for now till the weekend when I'll get to them again. Now the interesting thing is that without having the antennae connected I have full and strong reception of DAB, although nothing on FM/AM but even in tunnels DAB is perfect and I am completely gobsmacked as to how that's happening!

I will also be doing a write up on my retrofit on one or two of the other forums to help out other members.