2 DIN Unit in a Passat B5 Been told its not possible, please help.

[JJANDRJ]

Hi All

Brand new day one on here and after nearly 50 pages of hunting I gave up and put fingers to keyboard.

I have a Passat B5 2.8 V6 on a V 2000 plate in powder puff puke blue which has the Gamma radio unit and the 6 cd changer in the boot (that jumps and skips over bumps) .

It also has the heater module and a cubby hole. so 2 X 1 DIN units and a cubby hole.

I need to fit a 2 DIN Android 8.1 unit for a couple of reasons, Bluetooth hands free, streaming, reversing camera (I can park a tractor and trailer but useless in anything this short as I can’t turn my neck far.) Also want OBD2 as I owned 3 Italian garages and I like to know stuff. (Being working on Italian cars you know the electrics are awful)

So, after buying the OEM B5.5 2 DIN Facia surround and heater module as it has a thinner surround and the entire cage assembly to be modded (Dremel) to accommodate the 2 DIN DIN unit. So the heater ends up where the cubby hole used to be.

Now having chatted to what I believe to be someone dealing in Xtrons units they are say I can't fit a 2 DIN unit as the Canbus differs from the B5 to the B5.5, So he can supply me with an Xtrons unit for a B5.5 but it wont work in a B5.

… And I quote

“All the wires need to be rewired and we do not suggest to install the unit. If we have any one, we would recommend but this is not the case, you will need a lot of work in order to make it working, when I say working, it means to power on the unit.”

… And

“The thing is that we do not have suitable canbus for your model and you are unable to find suitable one from the market. We insist not to install the unit in your vehicles.”

Can anyone validate this please?

… And what I want to know is, has anyone fitted a 2 DIN unit and where there any problems?

Which units etc..

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Josh

[mike ryan]

I have fitted a new double din in an a6 c5. The wiring is easy and should not give you any trouble as long as you are practically minded. The can bus is only needed for steering wheel controls and speed signal so I don't know why they are so worried about it. If you can live with out those functions stick it in


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Crasher]

Normally you just remove the divider plate and lower cubby hole.

[JJANDRJ]

Hi Mike & Crasher


Firstly why does the New Reply button not work as I want to reply to both of you but I can only reply to one so Mike you were first in so thank you and my apologies to Crasher


But thank you so much for both your replies.


Mike I guessed as much, I'm a dab hand with a soldering iron and understand wiring diagrams so all is well there.


I have no steering wheel controls so in theory no need to worry about the Canbus.


Speed signal is the one that eludes me as thats for connecting the unit up so it wont play videos whilst in gear if I'm not mistaken, so I wont worry about that as Im not stupid enough to have the video playing whilst driving.. lol


Mike, what unit did you install if you don't mind me asking? May I have a link if at all possible?


Crasher Divider plate? That's on the inner cage behind the facia plate me thinks.

I've tried to upload pictures but it keeps saying failed to upload.


On a B5 the actual facia plate is split into 3 sections 2 x 1 Din and a cubby hole but on the B5.5 you get a 2 Din and a 1 Din


I have everything ready to go for the 2 Din conversion then I hit this wall that everyone selling the B5.5 2 Din have warned me not to fit it to the B5 an eBayer even refused to sell me one ...


So what is their problem then?


As cars have been modded for stereos for decades and I remember modding the dash on my Marina to fit my Sharp cassette with forward AND reverse and TWO LED's with the addition on an awesome Audioline graphics equaliser..


OK someone had to own a Marina but I was 17 with an 1800TC with white wolfrace wheels... lol


Cheers


JJ

[Crasher]

I tried to get Mother of Crasher to buy a new Marina GT in 1978 but she didn’t like it, I tried again with an Allegro 1750HL but she was told by the salesman it would be too much for her....... so she bought a Fiesta 1300S and it fell to bits so she bought another a year later, by which time I was 17 and I bashed it to bits, should have bought a VOLKSWAGEN.....

Anyway, I can’t check on ETKA at home but I am sure you can do double DIN on a 3B2/4 centre consul