Retrofitting Blind Spot monitoring to Q7 e-tron

[FortyPlus]

Hi
OK, the one option I wanted on my Q7 e-tron was Blind Spot monitoring. I have read the posts and established that I need the mirror covers, side assist lights, new door controllers, rear radar components and associated cabling loom, + the relevant coding.

I saw this on e-bay AUDI Q7 4MAUSSENSPIEGELS KLAPPBAR SIDE MIRRORS FOLDING 4M0959792C / 4M0959793C | eBay, a pair of full mirrors with side assist including Door controllers 4M0959792C, door loom, etc They are LHD & the wrong color, but a bit of reassembly should sort that :-/

And this Audi Q7 4M Lane Change Assistant Control Unit & 6 x Pdc & Cable 4M0907566 | eBay Q7 rear radar units with 6 x proximity sensors & the full rear loom.

I suspect that with some cunning this may also allow the rear cross-traffic assist, as well as side assist, but it's really the side assist I am interested in.

It's all a bit of a punt, but maybe with some professional help it can be done.

I have PM'ed AndyHUD, who is clearly the man to engage for this, but the slight problem is that I am in Dublin...

All comments and expertise, step by step instructions, etc welcome :-)

Hugh

[Retom]

Hi Hugh,
I have retrofited Side Assist with the set delivered by Kufatec. It contains: radars, radar handles, harness, mirror covers, LED indicators, fitting instruction and dongle for coding. Door controllers are not included but you have to check which controllers are installed in your car. It could be that you have proper controllers already factory installed as I had. I also think that there’s no difference between LHD and RHD as both sides work exactly the same.
PS. Mirror covers are not painted - only primed for painting.

[FortyPlus]

Hi Hugh,
I have retrofited Side Assist with the set delivered by Kufatec. It contains: radars, radar handles, harness, mirror covers, LED indicators, fitting instruction and dongle for coding. Door controllers are not included but you have to check which controllers are installed in your car. It could be that you have proper controllers already factory installed as I had. I also think that there’s no difference between LHD and RHD as both sides work exactly the same.
PS. Mirror covers are not painted - only primed for painting.

That's interesting & useful. I did see that kit, but as I happened on a few good deals on ebay I went for those.
One question, did you still need to visit Audi for any coding, or did the coder dongle do it for you.

Edit: I see I can buy the coding dongle independently from Kufatec. Keen to see how it worked for you.
Thanks!

[Retom]

Dongle do the coding. But remember that you will have to remove the Component Protection from the radars. Doesn’t matter if you buy them from Kufatec or on eBay. .It could be done by Audi but also by some independent services. I think that Andy could help with CP.
Please note that by installing Side Assist you can also additionally retrofit Exit Assisst at very low costs. To do this you will need only 4 original LEDs, couple of plugins and 4 wires. Coding is easy.

[FortyPlus]

Dongle do the coding. But remember that you will have to remove the Component Protection from the radars. Doesn’t matter if you buy them from Kufatec or on eBay. .It could be done by Audi but also by some independent services. I think that Andy could help with CP.
Please note that by installing Side Assist you can also additionally retrofit Exit Assisst at very low costs. To do this you will need only 4 original LEDs, couple of plugins and 4 wires. Coding is easy.

I had guessed that about exit assist, but am not overly interested, but if it's fairly easy...

One question, did you also get the rear cross-traffic assist when you added the side assist. I think it uses a few extra side sensors, it looks like they are coming on the loom & kit I picked up on e-bay.
I may PM you with a query, if that's OK
Hugh

[Retom]

I also got rear cross-traffic assist without adding any other sensors. My car was originally equipped with all parking sensors but c-t assist didn’t work without side assist. C-t assist came as extra bonus.
When you remove door covers it would be a pity not to add Exit Assist. It’s easy and cheap.

[FortyPlus]

I also got rear cross-traffic assist without adding any other sensors. My car was originally equipped with all parking sensors but c-t assist didn’t work without side assist. C-t assist came as extra bonus.
When you remove door covers it would be a pity not to add Exit Assist. It’s easy and cheap.

I think I now know why the rear assembly that I purchased has 6 x parking proximity senors ( my car has 4): it's from a car that had the parking assist option (self-parking). I think these use 6 sensors front & rear, the extra ones being on the side of the car.
I wonder how difficult it would be to add the extra items required to do this also...

Excited already!! New toys...

[andyhud007]

PMd you FortyPlus

Andy

[FortyPlus]

Just to close off this post, I now have retrofitted Side Assist up & running totally thanks to the clever work of Andy: and he did not even see the car.

An interesting learning experience for me, like everything, if I was doing it again it would take (less than) half the time.
I have a few bits left over that may be use to someone considering this: brackets to hold the radar sensors for a standard Q7 (special ones for a Q7 e-tron)

And a bundle of genuine reversing sensors & loom, if any anyone ever needs these.
And weirdly, a set of LHD mirrors.. and no these are not the same as RHD mirrors.. guess how I know...

Regards
Hugh
Dublin

[andyhud007]

Hi Hugh, thanks for the message and all glad its now working ok. Its a great result!

Cheers

Andy